A Prelongitudinal Test of Motor Stage Theory

Abstract
A test of motor stage theory was conducted to screen cross-sectionally for the existence of “horizontal structure” among motor sequences within four movement components of overarm throwing and overarm striking for force. A total of 58 male subjects were filmed performing five trials of each task. Comparisons were made between movement component sequence levels as assessed by Roberton's Component Category Checklist for the Overarm Throw and Langendorfer's Component Category Checklist for Overarm Striking. Results indicated that longitudinal study of sequences within the components of trunk, humerus, forearm-racquet actions was warranted and that intertask comparisons of motor sequences were best represented by combinations of stage models proposed by Wohlwill (1973). The observed movement commonalities in the present data were consistent with constructs in both Piagetian developmental stage theory and Schmidt's schema theory in motor control and learning.

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