MOTOR CONTROL, MOTOR LEARNING AND THE ACQUISITION OF SKILL - HISTORICAL TRENDS AND FUTURE-DIRECTIONS

This paper is a commentary about the current conflict and debate between the prescriptive or computational approach and the dynamic, emergent properties approach to motor control and skilled behavior in general. In particular it draws attention to the dearth of research into motor learning and the acquisition of human (motor) skills, and reviews the possible reasons for this. We review briefly these two theoretical domains to determine their emphasis and potential contribution to motor learning (as opposed to motor control) and to the wider field, the acquisition of human skill. It is concluded that the integrated development of both approaches is judicious and will provide the necessary emphasis to questions and issues about learning and the acquisition of skill.