Sports psychology - Characteristics of skilful movement — OCR GCSE Physical Education
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Sports psychology - Characteristics of skilful movement explained
Sports psychology - Characteristics of skilful movement covers 2 specification points, including know the definition of motor skills and • efficiency • pre-determined • co-ordinated •….
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Open a point below for its explanation and revision guidance.
know the definition of motor skills
A motor skill is a learned movement or action, produced by the body, that has a clear goal and can be improved with practice. The key features are that it is learned rather than inherited, it involves movement of the body or limbs, it is directed at a purpose such as striking a ball or landing a jump, and it can be refined through repetition and feedback. Contrast this with a reflex, which is an automatic, involuntary response, and with a purely cognitive skill such as solving a puzzle, which does not depend on bodily movement. When selecting an option, check that it includes learning, movement and a goal, and that it is not describing an innate reflex or a mental process alone.
understand and be able to apply examples of the characteristics of skilful movement: • efficiency • pre-determined • co-ordinated • fluent • aesthetic.
Skilful movement is recognised by five characteristics, and you must apply each to a real action rather than just name it. Efficiency means the performer achieves the outcome with minimal wasted effort, so a front crawl swimmer uses a streamlined body line and rhythmic breathing instead of thrashing. Pre-determined means the movement is planned and decided before it starts, as when a gymnast rehearses a vault run-up and take-off. Co-ordinated means body parts work together in the right order and timing, such as arms and legs combining in a tennis serve. Fluent means the action flows smoothly without hesitation or jerky pauses, for example a continuous dribble in hockey. Aesthetic means the movement looks pleasing and graceful to watch, as in a dance routine or a well-shaped dive.
Your focus
- State the definition of a motor skill.
- Identify the key features of a motor skill in a sporting example.
- Distinguish a motor skill from a reflex or a purely mental skill.
Show all 6 objectives
- Define each of the five characteristics of skilful movement in the learner's own words.
- Apply each characteristic to a named sporting action and explain the link.
- Choose the characteristic that best matches a given scenario in a multiple-choice question.
Sports psychology - Characteristics of skilful movement exam tips
Marking Points
- States that a motor skill is learned rather than innate or inherited.
- States that a motor skill involves movement of the body or limbs.
- States that a motor skill has a goal or purpose that the performer is trying to achieve.
- Recognises that a motor skill can be improved through practice and feedback.
- Selects efficiency when the scenario shows the performer achieving the result with minimal wasted effort.
- Selects pre-determined when the scenario shows the movement planned or decided before it begins.
- Selects co-ordinated when the scenario shows body parts working together in correct order and timing.
- Selects fluent when the scenario shows a smooth, continuous action without hesitation or jerky pauses.
- Selects aesthetic when the scenario shows the movement looking pleasing or graceful to an observer.
- Rejects an option that names a characteristic not illustrated by the scenario described.
Examiner Tips
- 💡Check that the chosen definition includes learning, movement and a goal.
- 💡Reject options that describe automatic reflexes or mental skills with no bodily movement.
- 💡Use a sporting example such as a tennis serve to test whether an option fits the definition.
- 💡Read the whole scenario before looking at the options, then decide which single characteristic it demonstrates most clearly.
- 💡Link each option back to a definition you can state in one sentence, so you can justify your choice.
- 💡Eliminate options that describe a different characteristic from the one the scenario shows, even if the word is on the specification list.
Common Mistakes
- Describes a reflex as a motor skill; a reflex is automatic and involuntary, whereas a motor skill is learned and goal-directed.
- Defines a motor skill as a purely mental process; include bodily movement as a required feature.
- Omits the idea of learning; state that the skill is acquired and refined through practice.
- Confuses fluent with fast; keep fluent meaning smooth and continuous rather than quick.
- Treats aesthetic as meaning effective or successful; keep aesthetic meaning pleasing and graceful to watch.
- Calls any planned skill co-ordinated; keep co-ordinated for body parts working together in the right order and timing.
- Ignores the scenario detail and picks a familiar word; read the example and match it to the characteristic it actually shows.