Human Motor Behavior Research Papers (original) (raw)

What role does habit formation play in the development of sport skills? We argue that motor habits are both necessary for and constitutive of sensorimotor skill as they support an automatic, yet inherently intelligent and flexible, form... more

What role does habit formation play in the development of sport skills? We argue that motor habits are both necessary for and constitutive of sensorimotor skill as they support an automatic, yet inherently intelligent and flexible, form of action control. Intellectualists about skills generally assume that what makes action intelligent and flexible is its intentionality, and that intentionality must be necessarily cognitive in nature to allow for both deliberation and explicit goal-representation. Against Intellectualism we argue that the habitual behaviours that compose skilful action are accompanied by their specific, non-cognitive form of intentionality: this is motor intentionality, which is purposive and adaptive while involving no explicit deliberation or goal representation. Our account of habit based on Motor Intentionality explains why the formation of motor habits can sometimes act as the sole basis of skill acquisition: Motor Intentionality is inherently purposeful because it is an embodied source of sensorimotor anticipation, pre-reflective motivation, and pragmatic know-how. Skill development through exercise always builds on a motor intentional component even when it is guided by Deliberate Practice to the point that, pace Intellectualism, Deliberate Practice is disclosed, not constrained, by habit formation. As suggested by the fact that repetitive exercises can play a major role in the development of flexible and intelligent sport skills, automatism is not a drawback for strategic control and improvisation but rather their pragmatic foundation.

Optimal control models of biological movements introduce external task factors to specify the pace of movements. Here, we present the dual to the principle of optimality based on a conserved quantity, called “drive”, that represents the... more

Optimal control models of biological movements introduce external task factors to specify the pace of movements. Here, we present the dual to the principle of optimality based on a conserved quantity, called “drive”, that represents the influence of internal motivation level on movement pace. Optimal control and drive conservation provide equivalent descriptions for the regularities observed within individual movements. For regularities across movements, drive conservation predicts a previously unidentified scaling law between the overall size and speed of various self-paced hand movements in the absence of any external tasks, which we confirmed with psychophysical experiments. Drive can be interpreted as a high-level control variable that sets the overall pace of movements and may be represented in the brain as the tonic levels of neuromodulators that control the level of internal motivation, thus providing insights into how internal states affect biological motor control.

An external focus of attention is considered superior to an internal focus for learning and performance. However, findings specific to changing the task difficulty are inconsistent. The present study used a reciprocal aiming task to... more

An external focus of attention is considered superior to an internal focus for learning and performance. However, findings specific to changing the task difficulty are inconsistent. The present study used a reciprocal aiming task to determine the effects of attentional focus on motor performance using speed-accuracy paradigm. We constrained timing to examine how internal and external focus of attention influenced accuracy when task difficulty changes. The results indicated greater accuracy on the right target and greater consistency on both targets for the external focus condition, regardless of task difficulty. Our results uniquely demonstrated how instruction modified a speed-accuracy task.

The kinematic analysis of gait during pregnancy provides more information about the anatomical changes and contributes to exercise and rehabilitation prescription. The purposes were to quantify the lower limb kinematics of gait and to... more

The kinematic analysis of gait during pregnancy provides more information about the anatomical changes and contributes to exercise and rehabilitation prescription. The purposes were to quantify the lower limb kinematics of gait and to compare it between the second and third trimesters of pregnancy and with a control group. A three-dimensional analysis was performed in twenty-two pregnant women and twelve nonpregnant. Repeated Measures and Manova tests were performed for comparisons between trimesters and between pregnant and controls. The walking speed, stride width, right-/left-step time, cycle time and time of support, and flight phases remain unchanged between trimesters and between pregnant and controls. Stride and right-/left-step lengths decreased between trimesters. Double limb support time increased between trimesters, and it increased when compared with controls. Joint kinematics showed a significant decrease of right-hip extension and adduction during stance phase between ...

Introduction: Cognitive-perceptual skills are important for successful performance in many tasks. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of quiet eye training and anticipation training on performance of hockey goalkeepers.... more

Introduction: Cognitive-perceptual skills are important for successful performance in many tasks. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of quiet eye training and anticipation training on performance of hockey goalkeepers. Materials and Methods: In this semi-experimental study, 10 hockey goalkeepers were selected via purposeful sampling method, and randomly assigned to two equal groups of quiet eye training and anticipation training. The study included pretest, intervention, posttest, and transference stages. Participants in pretest, posttest, and transfer (under-pressure position) stages received 25 hockey strokes at a distance of 9 meters. Intervention was done for three consecutive days (9 blocks of 40 trials, a total of 360 trials), and participants received their training instructions. Data were analyzed using independent t and dependent t tests via SPSS software. Results: Both anticipation training (P = 0.010) and quiet eye training (P < 0.001) had significant effect on the performance of hockey goalkeepers. Moreover, quiet eye training group had better performance compared to anticipation training group in both normal (P = 0.010) and under-pressure (P = 0.010) conditions. Conclusion: Quiet eye training in contrast to anticipation training results in better performance in normal and under pressure conditions.

Philadelphia Phillies" pitching coach Bob McClure attended Terra Nova High in Pacifica, CA from where he graduated in 1970. After signing with Kansas City in 1973, McClure spent 19 years as a major league starter and in various relief... more

Philadelphia Phillies" pitching coach Bob McClure attended Terra Nova High in Pacifica, CA from where he graduated in 1970. After signing with Kansas City in 1973, McClure spent 19 years as a major league starter and in various relief roles. Since retiring as an active player in 1993, McClure has served as a pitching coach for the Marlins, Rockies, Red Sox, and Phillies. In this paper, McClure early development of throwing any pitch in any ball-strike situation and "punch out" or outstanding move to 1B is presented. It illustrates that both skills require at least 10 years of correct and intense practice to master.

This research aims to study the influence of NLP training program in reducing test anxiety by analyzing biological feedback. This empirical study assessed pre- and post-tests of a study sample consisting of 30 students aged 19.6 years... more

This research aims to study the influence of NLP training program in reducing test anxiety by analyzing biological feedback. This empirical study assessed pre- and post-tests of a study sample consisting of 30 students aged 19.6 years that were diagnosed with high test anxiety. The students were divided into an experimental group and a control group; each with 15 students. The experimental group was trained on 24 units of NLP strategies for 3 months, i.e. 2 units per week with each unit lasting for 40-60 minutes. The anxiety test scale was applied on par with observations of vital biological changes (heart rate and blood pressure). The results showed statistically significant differences in the average scores of test anxiety before and after applying the aforementioned program mean ± SD 198 ± 11.9 (P< 0.05) for the post-test results were better than the pre-test ones. Moreover, there were statistically significant differences between the experimental and control groups indicating better results achieved by the experimental group when they took the post-test. In sum, the NLP program had a highly positive influence in reducing test anxiety and undesirable biological changes when applied to the experimental group.
Keywords: Neuro-Linguistic Programming; Test Anxiety; Biological Feedback.

Dieses Kapitel gibt eine Einführung in die neuronale Basis der menschlichen Motorik. Eingangs werden die neuronalen Korrelate der verschiedenen Formen der motorischen Kontrolle (Regelung und Steuerung) vorgestellt. Es wird unterschieden... more

Dieses Kapitel gibt eine Einführung in die neuronale Basis der menschlichen Motorik. Eingangs werden die neuronalen Korrelate der verschiedenen Formen der motorischen Kontrolle (Regelung und Steuerung) vorgestellt. Es wird unterschieden zwischen willkürlicher und unwillkürlicher Motorik und ausgeführt, wie das Zusammenspiel spinaler und supraspinaler Strukturen eine intakte Motorik bedingen. Der weitere Teil des Kapitels ist drei Hirnstrukturen gewidmet, die maßgeblich sind für die Willkürmotorik: der motorische Kortex, die Basalganglien und das Kleinhirn. Die spezifische Funktion jeder dieser Strukturen für die Motorik wird auf der Basis neurowissenschaftlicher Befunde erläutert und diskutiert. Abschließend werden die motorischen Defizite dargestellt, die sich aus der Schädigung dieser Hirnareale ergeben.

We investigated whether losses of inhibitory control could be responsible for some friendly-fire incidents. Several factors are commonly cited to explain friendly-fire incidents, but failure of inhibitory control has not yet been... more

We investigated whether losses of inhibitory control could be responsible for some friendly-fire incidents. Several factors are commonly cited to explain friendly-fire incidents, but failure of inhibitory control has not yet been explored. The Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART) could be a valid model for inhibition failures in some combat scenarios. Participants completed small-arms simulations using near infrared emitter guns, confronting research assistants acting as friends or foes. In Experiment 1, seven participants completed three conditions with three different proportions of foes (high, medium, low). In Experiment 2, 13 participants completed high-foe (high-go) and low-foe (low-go) versions of a small-arms simulation as well as comparative computer tasks. Participants made more friendly-fire errors (errors of commission) when foe proportion was high. A speed-accuracy trade-off was apparent, with participants who were faster to fire on foes also more likely to accide...

A series of notes about learning to play patterns, especially polyrhythms on a tongue drum with six tongues. 2 against 3, 3 against, 4, different stroking patterns, early learning and then phase changes when moving from slow to fast... more

A series of notes about learning to play patterns, especially polyrhythms on a tongue drum with six tongues. 2 against 3, 3 against, 4, different stroking patterns, early learning and then phase changes when moving from slow to fast tempos, when moving from learning to consolidation and then performance. Becoming fluid at switching between different fixed patterns on to free improvisation, where you play any pattern you are capable of playing in whatever order you choose. Conscious and deliberate effort vs. automatic, unconscious and spontaneous play. The layout of musical ‘space’ for different instruments: drums, trumpet, piano, strings.

A model of art origins based on the author’s first-hand studies is presented, which differs significantly from the dominant paradigm of these developments. The earliest known evidence for art, art-like or presumably non-utilitarian... more

A model of art origins based on the author’s first-hand studies is presented, which differs significantly from the dominant paradigm of these developments. The earliest known evidence for art, art-like or presumably non-utilitarian activities collectively provide the principal information about human symboling behaviour. These corpora are systematically considered from each continent, including rock art and various surviving forms of portable art. The immense age of some of this evidence is illuminated, and the record’s poor resolution with increasing age is presented as an essentially taphonomic phenomenon. It is shown, nevertheless, that the available record provides a considerably broader basis for hypotheses about symbolism, language and cognitive evolution than is often assumed, and that the evidence favours a model of comparatively early origins of the human capacity of concept-mediated thought and culture. These beginnings may be found in the endeavours of Lower Palaeolithic hominins to create taxonomic systems of physical reality. The available record renders it likely that such capacities existed several hundred thousand years ago.

Present diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum conditions (ASC) include social communication and interaction difficulties, repetitive behavior and movement, and atypical sensory responsivity. Few studies have explored the influence of... more

Present diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum conditions (ASC) include social communication and interaction difficulties, repetitive behavior and movement, and atypical sensory responsivity. Few studies have explored the influence of motor coordination and sensory responsivity on severity of ASC symptoms. In the current study, we explore whether sensory responsivity and motor coordination differences can account for the severity of autistic behaviors in children with ASC. Thirty-six children participated: 18 (13 male, 5 female) with ASC (ages 7–16: mean age = 9.93 years) and 18 (7 male, 11 female) typically developing (TD) children (ages 6–12; mean age = 9.16 years). Both groups completed a battery of assessments that included motor coordination, sensory responsivity, receptive language, non-verbal reasoning and social communication measures. Children with ASC also completed the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) and Autism Diagnostic Interview—Revised (ADI-R). Results showed that children with ASC scored significantly lower on receptive language, coordination, sensory responsivity and a sensorimotor subscale, Modulation of Activity (MoA) compared to the TD group. In the ASC group, MoA significantly predicted ASC severity across all ASC measures; receptive language and sensory responsivity significantly predicted parental reported autism measures; and coordination significantly predicted examiner observed reported scores. Additionally, specific associations were found between the somatosensory perceptive modalities and ASC severity. The results show that sensorimotor skills are associated with severity of ASC symptoms; furthering the need to research sensorimotor integration in ASC and also implying that diagnosis of ASC should also include the assessment of both coordination deficit and atypical sensory responsivity.

Social chemistry is a critical aspect of our life as human beings. We use our body to share information with others and to understand them. Recently, studies suggest that movement synchronization during social interaction might be... more

Social chemistry is a critical aspect of our life as human beings. We use our body to share information with others and to understand them. Recently, studies suggest that movement synchronization during social interaction might be important for social bonding. The current study aimed to understand how different features of movement influence both predictability and complexity of the interaction within dyads, assuming that both are inherent for successful social interaction. The experiment took place in four different round-robin sessions. The participants (98 pairs, comprised out of 33 individuals) played the "Mirror Game", in which they had to move their hands as coordinately as they could, without using verbal communication. After each game, the participants filled a questionnaire about their subjective experience and their impression of their partner. All sessions were filmed and preprocessed using motion energy analysis to extract a time-series representing participants' velocity throughout time. Using cross recurrence quantification analysis and cross-correlation, we found that the interplay between pausing and accelerating, as well as the amount of movements, determined the predictability (dyad movement synchronization) and complexity (entropy) of the interactions. More so, increased predictability and complexity were correlated with increased social bonding and mutual understanding. Thus, our findings suggest that the interplay between predictability and complexity of movement is important for successful non-verbal social interaction.

RESUMEN: Nos preocupa indagar sobre la sujecibilidad del apetito sensible. Para esto, primeramente, distinguiremos el alma como forma del alma como motor, para luego introducirnos en esta última temática. En seguida de esto pasaremos al... more

RESUMEN: Nos preocupa indagar sobre la sujecibilidad del apetito sensible. Para esto, primeramente, distinguiremos el alma como forma del alma como motor, para luego introducirnos en esta última temática. En seguida de esto pasaremos al tratamiento más específico de la sujecibilidad en sí del apetito sensible. Aquí consideraremos primeramente la organicidad del sujeto. Se hará necesario considerar al corazón como el órgano propio y luego las soluciones tomistas actuales al problema que consideran al sistema nervioso central como el sujeto más apropiado y adecuado. En toda nuestra investigación subyacerá una opción de filosofía realista, pues nuestra fuente será principalmente Tomás de Aquino, sobre todo en sus obras Sobre el movimiento del corazón y las Cuestiones disputadas Sobre el alma, en especial los artículos 8 y 9. Asimismo, queremos decir que la presente investigación no se agota desde una filosofía tomista ni desde un planteo exclusivamente filosófico. Por el contrario, creemos que abre caminos para plantear problemáticas interdisciplinarias con la Psicología Cognitiva, la Biología y la Medicina. Pero también creemos que excede la consideración metafísico-antropológica para alcanzar cuestiones que hacen referencia a una Filosofía de la Mente (o Neurociencia).

Mirror neuron research has come a long way since the early 90’s, and many theorists are now stressing the heterogeneity and complexity of the sensorimotor properties of fronto-parietal circuits. However, core aspects of the initial... more

Mirror neuron research has come a long way since the early 90’s, and many theorists are now stressing the heterogeneity and complexity of the sensorimotor properties of fronto-parietal circuits. However, core aspects of the initial ‘mirror mechanism’ theory, i.e. the idea of a symmetric encapsulated mirroring function translating sensory action perceptions into motor formats, still appears to be shaping much of the debate. This article challenges the empirical plausibility of the sensorimotor segregation implicit in the original mirror metaphor. It is proposed instead that the teleological organization found in the broader fronto-parietal circuits might be inherently sensorimotor. Thus the idea of an independent ‘purely perceptual’ goal understanding process is questioned. Further, it is hypothesized that the often asymmetric, heterogeneous and contextually modulated mirror and canonical neurons support a function of multisensory mapping and tracking of the perceiving agents affordance space. Such a shift in the interpretative framework offers a different theoretical handle on how sensorimotor processes might ground various aspects of intentional action choice and social cognition. Mirror neurons would under the proposed “social affordance model” be seen as dynamic parts of larger circuits, which support tracking of currently shared and competing action possibilities. These circuits support action selection processes—but also our understanding of the options and action potentials that we and perhaps others have in the affordance space. In terms of social cognition ‘mirror’ circuits might thus help us understand not only the intentional actions others are actually performing—but also what they could have done, did not do and might do shortly.

Optimizing physical activity (PA) in children is paramount to attenuate the incidence of chronic disease and to improve social and cognitive health. Limited research exists examining the observed PA patterns during school leisure times in... more

Optimizing physical activity (PA) in children is paramount to attenuate the incidence of chronic disease and to improve social and cognitive health. Limited research exists examining the observed PA patterns during school leisure times in children from the U.S. The purpose of this study was to examine the observed PA patterns of children during three school leisure times: before school, during lunch, and after school. The SOPLAY instrument was used to observe PA during the three leisure times across six weeks at four elementary schools in the U.S. Observer PA counts were stratified by sex, PA intensity (sedentary, walking, and very active), and leisure time. Multi-level models were employed to examine the effect of leisure time and PA intensity on observer PA counts, adjusting for day and school-level clustering. Lunch displayed the greatest number of counts for sedentary, walking, and very active PA intensities (p < 0.001). In boys, a greater number of observer counts in the very active PA intensity were recorded compared to the sedentary intensity before school (β = 10.34, p = 0.04) and during lunch (β = 15.57, p < 0.001). Girls did not display any differences among the PA intensities within before school and lunch leisure times (p > 0.05). After school displayed the fewest counts for walking and very active PA in both sexes (p < 0.05). An emphasis should be placed on increasing walking and very active PA intensities before school and during lunch in girls and after school in both sexes.

Abstract: The explosion of interest in “4E cognition” in recent years marks a change, not merely in scientific approaches to material brains and bodies, but in attitudes to the processes by which humans think, feel, communicate, and... more

Abstract: The explosion of interest in “4E cognition” in recent years marks a change, not merely in scientific approaches to material brains and bodies, but in attitudes to the processes by which humans think, feel, communicate, and create. This article traces how the evolution of the new field of “the cognitive humanities”—which fosters cross-fertilization between theorists and practitioners from the “humanities” and empirical experimenters in the “sciences”—has been expressed in the work of performers and performance scholars over the last thirty years, leading up to the most recent projects currently underway (in the summer of 2017). I analyze how these forms of artistic and scholarly production contribute to our increasingly nuanced understanding of the breadth and complexity of the human affective, emotional, cognitive, and cultural spectrum.
Keywords: performance, cognitive humanities, neurophenomenology, affect, 4E cognition, embodied knowledge, extended mind.

Sensorimotor rhythm (SMR) activity has been related to automaticity during skilled action execution. However, few studies have bridged the causal link between SMR activity and sports performance. This study investigated the effect of SMR... more

Sensorimotor rhythm (SMR) activity has been related to automaticity during skilled action execution. However,
few studies have bridged the causal link between SMR activity and sports performance. This study investigated
the effect of SMR neurofeedback training (SMR NFT) on golf putting performance. We hypothesized that
preelite golfers would exhibit enhanced putting performance after SMR NFT. Sixteen preelite golfers were
recruited and randomly assigned into either an SMR or a control group. Participants were asked to perform
putting while electroencephalogram (EEG) was recorded, both before and after intervention. Our results
showed that the SMR group performed more accurately when putting and exhibited greater SMR power than
the control group after 8 intervention sessions. This study concludes that SMR NFT is effective for increasing
SMR during action preparation and for enhancing golf putting performance. Moreover, greater SMR activity
might be an EEG signature of improved attention processing, which induces superior putting performance.

Developmental disorders such as autism have generally been theorized as due to some kind of modular “deficit” or “dysfunction”—typically of cortical origin, i.e., failures of “theory of mind”, of the “mirror neuron system”, of “weak... more

Developmental disorders such as autism have generally been theorized as due to some kind of modular “deficit” or “dysfunction”—typically of cortical origin, i.e., failures of “theory of mind”, of the “mirror neuron system”, of “weak central coherence” or of the balance of “empathizing” and “systemizing”, just to list a few. The broad array of autonomic and sensorimotor differences experienced and reported by people with autism have by such theories typically been sidelined as “co-morbidities,” possibly sharing genetic causes, but rendered as incidental and decisively behaviorally irrelevant symptoms—surely disconnected from cognition.
This article entertains the idea that the development of cortically based mental processes and autonomous control relies on the complexities and proper function of the peripheral nervous systems. Through such an “embodied” lens the heterogeneous symptoms of autism invites new interpretations. We propose here that many behavioral-level findings can be re-defined as downstream effects of how developing nervous systems attempt to cope and adapt to the challenges of having various noisy, unpredictable, and unreliable peripheral inputs.

Largely aided by the findings of the so-called ‘mirror neurons’ the attention to motor activity in action observation has exploded over the last two decades. The idea that we internally ‘mirror’ an observed action by covertly reproducing... more

Largely aided by the findings of the so-called ‘mirror neurons’ the attention to motor activity in action observation has exploded over the last two decades. The idea that we internally ‘mirror’ an observed action by covertly reproducing a version of it has lead to a new strand of implicit simulation theories of action understanding. The basic idea of this sort of simulation theory is that perception of others actions automatically activate our own covert action representations, and then that we can use this shared action representation to understand various aspects of the observed action and possibly infer the goal and/or intentions of the observed agent or maybe predict upcoming actions. There is some disagreement among researchers and theorists as to the function of motor ‘simulation’. It is debated whether it serves as the basis for low-level ‘mind-reading’, i.e. ascription of intentions and various mental states to others (Gallese 2003, 2004, 2007. Gallese & Goldman 1998, Goldman in press, Hurley 2005) or whether the function of the simulation is purely related to understanding the action itself (Jeannerod 2006) or maybe related to anticipating upcoming actions (Kilner et al 2004, Csibra 2005, Prinz 2006).
What seems to be assumed in most of these simulation theories is that the default role of the motor system in social perception is to ‘mirror’ the observed action or that it is only related to the observed action and not my own action motives and plans. It is these basic assumptions of the passivity of motor resonance that I would like to challenge. The question is whether it is misleading to conceptualize motor resonance simply as a mirroring simulation where we covertly ‘echo’ the observed action? Many studies of the functional properties of mirror neurons (MN) and motor facilitation during perception seem to point to a more complex role of the motor system in action perception (di Pellegrino 1992, Gallese et al 1996, Rizzolati & Craighero 2004). This has recently led to some proposals trying to reinterpret the function of motor activity during action perception and in social situations from a simple mirroring process to an anticipatory process (Kilner et al 2004, Csibra 2005, Prinz 2006) – or simply to abandon the idea of simulation altogether (Gallagher 2007). I think these are interesting proposals, but inspired by historic approaches to motor resonance and recent studies I would like to venture a hypothesis of an even more proactive, context and motivation dependent role of motor activity during action perception (Newman-Norlund et al. 2007, Schie et al. In press, Cheng et al. 2007, Keysers & Perrett 2004, 502). Motor resonance during object perception is by many researchers thought of in terms of affordances; i.e. what the object affords the observer to do (Grèzes et al. 2003). My question is why we should not – albeit extra social levels of complexity - see motor resonance during social perception in a similar way, as potential action sketches ‘afforded’ by own present motivational, senori-motor and perceptual situation. My point is not that we never ‘simulate’ or covertly imitate observed actions, but rather that it is questionable why we should think of this as the default process in normal interactive social contexts. Covert imitation might only take place during special cases of action observation where we exactly take on a passive spectator attitude, and that we therefore might need a broader theory of motor resonance that also explains normal active and interactive cases of action perception. Accordingly, I suggest that experimental paradigms with single observers in one-way social situations often carry an ‘imitation bias’, and that we are in dire need of more research of actual interactive social perception. I conclude that theories of motor resonance in social perception as a passive ‘mirroring’ or low-level simulation are faced with serious empirical challenges, and that the motor system might serve a much more proactive role in social cognition than previously thought.

The current assessment of behaviors in the inventories to diagnose autism spectrum disorders (ASD) focus on observation and discrete categorizations. Behaviors require movements, yet measurements of physical movements are seldom included.... more

The current assessment of behaviors in the inventories to diagnose autism spectrum disorders (ASD) focus on observation and discrete categorizations. Behaviors require movements, yet measurements of physical movements are seldom included. Their inclusion however, could provide an objective characterization of behavior to help unveil interactions between the peripheral and the central nervous systems. Such interactions are critical for the development and maintenance of spontaneous autonomy, self-regulation and voluntary control. At present, current approaches cannot deal with the heterogeneous, dynamic and stochastic nature of development. Accordingly, they leave no avenues for real-time or longitudinal assessments of change in a coping system continuously adapting and developing compensatory mechanisms. We offer a new unifying statistical framework to reveal re-afferent kinesthetic features of the individual with ASD. The new methodology is based on the non-stationary stochastic patterns of minute fluctuations (micro-movements) inherent to our natural actions. Such patterns of behavioral variability provide re-entrant sensory feedback contributing to the autonomous regulation and coordination of the motor output. From an early age, this feedback supports centrally driven volitional control and fluid, flexible transitions between intentional and spontaneous behaviors. We show that in ASD there is a disruption in the maturation of this form of proprioception. Despite this disturbance, each individual has unique adaptive compensatory capabilities that we can unveil and exploit to evoke faster and more accurate decisions. Measuring the kinesthetic re-afference in tandem with stimuli variations we can detect changes in their micro-movements indicative of a more predictive and reliable kinesthetic percept. Our methods address the heterogeneity of ASD with a personalized approach grounded in the inherent sensory-motor abilities that the individual has already developed.

http://www.periodicos.rc.biblioteca.unesp.br/index.php/motriz/article/view/11450/pdf
The purpose of this study was to briefly illustrate some of the challenges and realities of national and
international Paralympic sports. The
elite disabled athlete
paradigm is still not widely known in the world of regular sports
competitions. The winning elite disabled athletes are restricted to a few countries, including the U.S., Canada, Germany,
China, and Australia, with limited distribution of disability sport opportunities in other countries. This tendency for the
success of a minority of countries reflects global problems of social vulnerability in accessibility (e.g., in dismantling
the stigma of disability), political vulnerability (e.g., representative organizations of sports for the disabled do not fully
pratice the philosophy of “sport for all”), and economic vulnerability (e.g., lack of opportunities for training, assistive
sports technology, and sponsorships). Furthermore, elite Paralympic athletes have become veterans. For example, the
participation of Brazilian elite athletes in the 1984 Paralympics marked the beginning of a new generation of athletes
(approximately 16%) who returned to the Games in 1988. In both 2008 and 2012, nearly 28% of total participants were
Brazilian veterans. Although this picture reveals longevity of athletes in the sport, there are many limitations in sports
accessibility, often due to geographical centralization of opportunities in large urban centers. Yet, today, the world of
Paralympic sport has been transformed into a sports spectacle, thanks to the exceptional performance of some athletes,
to the technology
of mas
s communication, and to the support of audiences during the Games. These sport “superstars”
offer the world new images and new constructs of “ability.” While this forum has helped to bring attention to these
“heroes,” other Brazilian athletes (and from other countries as well) are still waiting for their opportunities. Indeed,
worldwide, young blind individuals, those in wheelchairs, amputees, or simply the uncoordinated, expect to play, run,
swim, and take part in the international model of “sport for all.” They expect sports opportunities to be a part of their
daily lives, an option for rehabilitation and the preservation of health, and a basic human right.

The discovery of so-called ‘mirror neurons’ - found to respond both to own actions and the observation of similar actions performed by others - has been enormously influential in the cognitive sciences and beyond. Given the self-other... more

The discovery of so-called ‘mirror neurons’ - found to respond both to own actions and the observation of similar actions performed by others - has been enormously influential in the cognitive sciences and beyond. Given the self-other symmetry these neurons have been hypothesized as underlying a ‘mirror mechanism’ that lets us share representations and thereby ground core social cognitive functions from intention understanding to linguistic abilities and empathy. I argue that mirror neurons are important for very different reasons. Rather than a symmetric ubiquitous or context- independent mechanism, I propose that these neurons are part of broader sensorimotor circuits, which help us navigate and predict the social affordance space that we meet others in. To develop both the critical and positive project I analyze the interpretive choices and the debate surrounding the mirror neuron research and show how the field is marred by highly questionable assumptions about respectively motor and social cognition. The discovery of mirror neurons - and the sensorimotor circuits of which these neurons are a part – actually empirically challenge many of these tacit assumptions. Findings of sensorimotor goal representations at levels of abstraction well beyond actual sensory information and kinetic movements challenge the idea of motor cognition as primarily output production. Additionally, the focus on 3rd person mindreading of hidden mental states is misguiding the field of social cognition. Much ‘mind-reading’ seems rooted in sensorimotor representations and a developmentally primary 2nd person understanding of actions and the mental lives of others, which precisely breaks the assumed dichotomy between mind and behavior. I propose a Social Affordance model where parallel fronto-parietal sensorimotor circuits support representations not just of other people’s actions but of the overall social affordance space. It is a process that monitors concrete goals and teleological possibilities that the environment affords respectively oneself and other present agents. With this model I hypothesize that the complex spectrum of sensorimotor integrations are indeed essential not only to normal action choice calibration but also to social cognitive abilities, as the sensorimotor teleological representations let us relate to others and understand their action choices in a shared pragmatic and intentional context.

The current rise of neurodevelopmental disorders poses a critical need to detect risk early in order to rapidly intervene. One of the tools pediatricians use to track development is the standard growth chart. The growth charts are... more

The current rise of neurodevelopmental disorders poses a critical need to detect risk early in order to rapidly intervene. One of the tools pediatricians use to track development is the standard growth chart. The growth charts are somewhat limited in predicting possible neurodevelopmental issues. They rely on linear models and assumptions of normality for physical growth data – obscuring key statistical information about possible neurodevelopmental risk in growth data that actually has accelerated, non-linear rates-of-change and variability encompassing skewed distributions. Here, we use new analytics to profile growth data from 36 newborn babies that were tracked longitudinally for 5 months. By switching to incremental (velocity-based) growth charts and combining these dynamic changes with underlying fluctuations in motor performance – as the transition from spontaneous random noise to a systematic signal – we demonstrate a method to detect very early stunting in the development of voluntary neuromotor control and to flag risk of neurodevelopmental derail.

Sounds offer a rich source of information about events taking place in our physical and social environment. However, outside the domains of speech and music, little is known about whether humans can recognize and act upon the intentions... more

Sounds offer a rich source of information about events taking place in our physical and social environment. However, outside the domains of speech and music, little is known about whether humans can recognize and act upon the intentions of another agent’s actions detected through auditory informa- tion alone. In this study we assessed whether intention can be inferred from the sound an action makes, and in turn, whether this information can be used to prospectively guide movement. In 2 experiments experienced and novice basketball players had to virtually intercept an attacker by listening to audio recordings of that player’s movements. In the first experiment participants had to move a slider, while in the second one their body, to block the perceived passage of the attacker as they would in a real basketball game. Combinations of deceptive and nondeceptive movements were used to see if novice and/or experienced listeners could perceive the attacker’s intentions through sound alone. We showed that basketball players were able to more accurately predict final running direction compared to nonplayers, particularly in the second experiment when the interceptive action was more basketball specific. We suggest that athletes present better action anticipation by being able to pick up and use the relevant kinematic features of deceptive movement from event-related sounds alone. This result suggests that action intention can be perceived through the sound a movement makes and that the ability to determine another person’s action intention from the information conveyed through sound is honed through practice.

Background: Nowadays researches find that athlete’s performance is affected not only by physical fitness, technical and tactical factors, but also mental and emotional features can affect sport performance. Objective: Hence, the aim of... more

Background: Nowadays researches find that athlete’s performance is affected not only by physical fitness, technical and tactical factors, but also mental and emotional features can affect sport performance. Objective: Hence, the aim of this study is examined the dimensions of emotional intelligence and mental toughness visually impaired male and female athletes. Methodology: This was a causal-comparative study, where the statistical population included 300 visually impaired male and female athletes taking part in the First National Cultural- Sports Festival featuring goalball, tug-of-war, track and field, swimming, and powerlifting. Using a smaple of convenience, 70 participants completed the Sheard, Golby, and van Wersch-questionnaire on mental toughness in three dimensions of “confidence” “ control” and “constancy”, and the Petrides and Furnham’s questionnaire in four dimensions of “ understanding emotions”, “ social skills” “ controlling emotions” and “ optimism”. Results: Analysis of variables using an independent t-test showed significant differences in the dimensions of controlling emotions, understanding emotions, and social skills in favor of visually impaired sportswomen. However, there were no significant differences between the genders for optimism in the emotional intelligence questionnaire, and in mental toughness questionnaire. Conclusions: Visually impaired individuals pass through stages of emotional intelligence in a different way compared to those with normal vision. Moreover, motor skills and sports for the visually impaired are of a different kind. Moreover, our results showed that women benefited more from participating in physical and sporting activities than men did. Therefore, we recommend that authorities and people involved in sports for the visually impaired should make more use of exercises in psychological skills, along with technical and tactical ones, for visually impaired male athletes.