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Sensory & Perceptual Motor Abilities Lab

Name:_________________________________________Score:____________ Introduction This lab consists of a series of experiments that explore various perceptual, vision, and balance skills that help us understand how we perform motor skill. Lab Activity 1: Static & Dynamic Balance Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to determine the effects of vision on one’s ability to balance. Procedures & Equipment: Researchers have studied static balance by using a stabilometer. With stabilometer, the subject must balance on a platform suspended on a single axis across its midline. The subject places one foot one each side of this axis, similar to attempting to balance on the center of seesaw. You will attempt to balance for 45 seconds. The number of seconds that you are in balance will be your score. You will be given to two attempts with eye’s open. The highest or best score is considered to be one’s static balance score for this perceptual ability. Researchers have studied dynamic balance using the Bass Stepping Stone Test. The subject stands on the right foot on the starting taped square, then leaps to a series of taped squares located in front of the subject, alternating left and right feet. At each square, the subject must maintain balance for 5 sec before leaping to the next square. The squares are numbered 1-10. Once the subject reaches 5 they turn and leap back to the start or 10. Score of the subject is the prior square from the present one where the subject could not hold their balance for 5 seconds. Each subject will before 2 attempts unless they score a 10, the highest score is considered to be one’s dynamic balance score for this perceptual ability.

Static & Dynamic Balance Static Dynamic Trial 1 Trial 2 Best Score

Lab Activity 2: Vision & Walking Introduction: Purpose of this activity is to examine visional memory may influence the control of walking. Suppose the telephone rang and you had to walk across the room to answer it. Then imagine what would happen if the lights suddenly sent out and you were pitched into total darkness along the way to the phone. How would you be affected? This lab will answer the question by simulating the time and distance to get to the phone.

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Task: The task is to walk to targets that are 3, 6, or 9 m away from a starting position, under three different conditions: 1) the subject walks with eyes open but looking straight ahead, not down on the floor; 2) the eyes are closed immediately before walking; and 3) the eyes are closed and the subjects waits 20 seconds before walking. Procedure: Use the tape, place a short horizontal strip of tape at each of the three distances from the X along a straight line at 3, 6, and 9 m away. Follow the table in the results section of the lab report for the ordering of trials and distances to walk. The following instructions should be followed carefully. Before each trial the subject should make a careful survey of the distances of the three targets, then give a verbal ready signal to the experimenter. At this point the experimenter will say either, “look straight ahead (eyes open condition) or “close your eye” (eyes-closed conditions). Then the experimenter will tell you which of the three targets is the goal on that trial (near, middle, or far target). In the case of the eye open and eyes closed with no delay conditions, the experimenter will then tell the subject to start to walk. In the case of eye closed with a 20 sec delay, the experimenter will tell the subject to count to one-thousand-one to 20, then to begin to walk. At all times the goal of task is to finish with front edge of the right foot on the goal line. Measure the subject’s walking accuracy in terms of the absolute distance from the target. Always use the front of the right foot as reference for determining the error distance from the target. Results: The absolute error for each trial should be recorded on your individual data sheet following questions sections of this lab report.

Individual Raw Data Table Trial Target Condition Absolute Error 1 Open 9 m 2 Closed/no delay 3m 3 Closed/delay 6m 4 Closed/delay 9m 5 Open 3m 6 Closed/no delay 6m 7 Closed/delay 3m 8 Open 6m 9 Closed/no delay 9m From the results recorded on your individual data sheet calculate your mean performance error in each of the nine different conditions. Record this data in following table.

Target Open Closed/no delay Closed/Delay 3m 6m 9m

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Lab Activity 3: Visual Abilities Introduction. The visual abilities of static visual acuity and contrast sensitivity, are necessary in performing many hand-eye or eye-foot ballistic movements such as catching and hitting. Purpose: The purpose of this experiment is to assess various visual abilities, that is, visual acuity and contrast sensitivity. Equipment: Stereo 2000 Vision tester. Procedure: Not in any given order with the aid of a partner, lab assistant, and instructor assess the following visual abilities;

1. Static visual acuity or 20/20 vision. Use the Stereo Vision 2000 Tester to assess your far and near static visual acuity. Record your level of static visual acuity on the form below.

2. Contrast Sensitivity. Use the Vision 2000 Tester to assess your far contrast sensitivity. Record your level of far contrast sensitivity on the form below.

Data Recording: On the Stereo Optical Far Contrast Tester Form record your near and far static visual acuity, and far contrast sensitivity.

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Lab Activity 4: Haptic Perception Ability

Two types of judgments are usually made when perceptual information is compared. First, a comparative judgment occurs in a situation where both the standard and the comparison stimulus are presented at the same time. Absolute judgments involve the standard stored in memory with the comparison physically present. The purpose of this lab was to determine one’s ability to judge the difference between weights using constant stimulus (comparative judgment) and the stimulus-held-in-memory (absolute judgment) techniques. Procedure and Equipment I only have two set of weighted canisters, a set of weighted canisters that contain a series of light weights (75 to 125 grams). You will be blindfolded during the absolute and comparative judgment trials. In the absolute judgment condition, the standard weight (100 grams) will be placed in the subject’s preferred hand. He or she will “memorize” how heavy the weight feels, put it aside, then pick up each of the rest of the weights, at random, and judge whether the compare weight is lighter, heavier, or the same in weight as the standard held in memory. In the comparative judgment condition, in one hand will be placed the standard weight(100 grams). In the other hand will be placed at random a comparison weight from the same set. The subject is to determine whether the comparison weight is lighter, heavier, or the same in weight as the standard held in the other hand. After completing each type record the percentage of correct responses using the formula.

ABSOLUTE JUDGMENT Standard

75 80 85 90 95 100* 105 110 115 120 125 x Number correct X 9 + 1 = ______________% correct

COMPARATIVE JUDGMENT Standard

75 80 85 90 95 100* 105 110 115 120 125 x Number correct X 9 + 1 = ______________% correc

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Lab Activity 5: Response Orientation (Card Sorting Task)

Response orientation is the ability to make a rapid selection of control to be moved or the direction to move them in. Successful completion of this task relies upon a number of intact cognitive functions that include attention, working memory, and visual processing, it is loosely termed a frontal lobe test on the basis that patients with any sort of frontal lobe lesion generally do poorly at the test.

Procedure: Experimenter shuffles one deck of card several times. Subject sits or stands in front of the card sorting box. Experimenter instructs subject, “On the signal, “Ready? Go! The stack of cards are turn over so your can see the faces. Then begin to sort them into the proper compartments as fast as possible. Do not attempt to correct any errors you may make.”

Experimenter uses a stop watch or clock to time the subject. After each trial has been timed & the number of errors counted. . Score each trial using the following formula:

Trial score = Total number of errors + total time in seconds divided by 1000

The experimenter shuffles the card for trial and changes the board for the 2nd trial.

The subject attempts to sort the cards as fast as possible. Record each trial score on the table below then calculate the mean. The mean score is the subject’s score for response orientation perceptual ability.

Score Trial 1 Task A

Score Trial 2 Task A

Score Trial 3 Task B

Score Trial 4 Task A

Lab Activity 6: Arm-Hand Steadiness Ability Introduction: Hand steadiness is a very important ability in performing fine motor skills.

Procedure: Hold the stylist in your non-dominate hand and attempt to move the end of the stylist left to right and right to left three times through the hand steadiness task without touching either side. Attempt to move the stylists as fast as possible and record the time it takes you in nearest second and the number of times you touched the sides (errors). Score each trial using the following formula:

Trial score = Total number of touches + total time in seconds divided by 1000

Record the trial score on the table below and calculate the mean is the subject’s score for arm-hand steadiness perceptual ability.

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Trials Score 1 2 3 Mean

Lab Questions: Your lab report should have two sections; results and discussion section. The result section should report your finding for each activity. In the discussion section, you should discuss the following: a)How does static and dynamic balance relate to performing motor or sport skills. Provide several examples b) Discuss the effects of visual memory on your ability to walk normally? (Did you accuracy change when you eyes were open as compared to when they were closed? Compared to immediate to that of delayed? Compared to 3m to 6m distances? What were the reasons for the differences? We register and hold sensory information to perform any motor or sport skill. How does this activity related to developing a motor or sport skill especially with the very young and aged patient or student? c) Did you have normal static far visual acuity and normal contrast sensitivity? What do these visual abilities represent? Why are visual abilities vital to performing object control motor skills such as catching or in a sport such as Baseball or Softball? d) Comparing the different weights of bowling balls to determine which bowling ball to use is an example of what type of haptic judgment. Which type of judgment is the most commonly used? Why? e) How could the card sorting task be used to assess the effects of exercise one cognitive function involving different population groups and ages? f) What types of fine motor skills require a steady hand? Why would this ability be important in industry?