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In 1983, Judith Placek published "Conceptions of success in teaching: Busy, happy, and good?" Placek's arguments have been picked up widely in research and are often used as a catchphrase to represent bad teaching. Our purpose in this paper is to revisit Placek's argument and "update" it for modern times. We first contextualize "Busy, Happy, and Good" by exploring the sociopolitical "setting" in which it came from and examine the literature to investigate how the concept has been used. We then outline three challenges physical education faces regarding success in teaching. Lastly, we propose a framework using a revised version of Placek's concept that engages in the complexities of student learning. In doing so, we discuss five learning "bodies": (a) Moving Body, (b) Thinking Body, (c) Social Body, (d) Emotional Body, and (e) Cultural Body, and propose educational aims that can guide successful teaching across diverse movement cultures and reposition Placek's arguments as more positive outcomes of physical education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article demonstrates the importance of making explicit different conceptions of movement for the philosophy of sport. In addition to the mechanistic and the Aristotelian approaches, this article presents a third, underexplored view of movement, namely that of Lucretius as interpreted by Karl Marx and Michel Serres. By exploring the similarities between Marx’s motion of repulsion and Serres’s turbulent flux, it will be argued that a Lucretian view offers a philosophy of movement that uniquely does not rely on stasis. This Lucretian perspective is illustrated through Serres’s elaborations on the body and sport. It is concluded that sport is not primarily a rational, rule-guided practice but arises from moving and sensuous bodies that are always deviating from their standard trajectory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People living with dementia have the same right to well-being as anyone else, including physical activity. Yet, physical activity levels among people with dementia are lower than in the general population, and while the physical activity health benefits are well established, little is known about how people living with dementia experience physical activity. To explore these physical activity experiences, we visited six community settings in one English county and conducted informal interviews with 18 people who were either living with dementia and community dwelling (n = 4), caring for or who had cared for someone with dementia (n = 10), or providing a support service for people living with dementia and their carers (n = 4). Findings highlight both the challenges and facilitators presented by organized groups, service provider skills and qualities, and environmental factors. Additionally, these factors were influential in shaping the physical activity experience of people living with dementia. The findings may be relevant for people providing or planning support services, commissioners, policymakers, and researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores what is understood by the phrase 'spontaneous movement'. We discern five different understandings of spontaneity in the usage of the phrase: 1) spontaneous movement as automatic machine-like mechanistic, 2) spontaneous movement as free, 3) spontaneous movement as primal animateness of the body, 4) spontaneous movement as embodied responsive dealing in the world, 5) spontaneous movement as a force of nature. The first two understandings are rooted in a dualistic view, with the dichotomies of voluntary/involuntary and mind/body in the Western philosophical tradition. The next two arise from a phenomenological reflection on the body, drawn from Husserl and Merleau-Ponty, while the last comes from a holistic Eastern view of the body, human beings and nature. We argue that the latter three understandings of spontaneity demonstrate three aspects of a more comprehensive picture of the spontaneity of human movement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Short-term motor adaptation to novel movement dynamics has been shown to involve at least two concurrent learning processes: a slow process that responds weakly to error but retains information well and a fast process that responds strongly to error but has poor retention. This modeling framework can explain several properties of motion-dependent motor adaptation (e.g., 24 h retention). An important assumption of this computational framework is that learning is only based on the experienced movement error, and the effect of noise (either internally generated or externally applied) is not considered. We examined the respective error sensitivity by quantifying adaptation in three subject groups distinguished by the noise added to the motion-dependent perturbation. We assessed the feedforward adaptive changes in motor output and examined the adaptation rate, retention, and decay of learning. Applying a two-state modeling framework showed that the applied noise during training mainly affected the fast learning process, with the slow process largely unaffected; participants in the higher noise groups demonstrated a reduced force profile following training, but the decay rate across groups was similar, suggesting that the slow process was unimpaired across conditions. Collectively, our results provide evidence that noise significantly decreases motor adaptation, but this reduction may be due to its influence over specific learning mechanisms. Importantly, this may have implications for how the motor system compensates for random fluctuations, especially when affected by brain disorders that result in movement tremor (e.g., essential tremor).

Northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) have been integral to the development and progress of biologging technology and movement data analysis, which continue to improve our understanding of this and other species. Adult female elephant seals at Año Nuevo Reserve and other colonies along the west coast of North America were tracked annually from 2004 to 2020, resulting in a total of 653 instrument deployments. This paper outlines the compilation and curation process of these high-resolution diving and location data, now accessible in two Dryad repositories. The code used for data processing alongside the corresponding workflow is available through GitHub and Zenodo. This data set represents 3,844,927 dives and 596,815 locations collected from 475 individual seals with 178 repeat samplings over 17 years. We anticipate that these data will stimulate further analysis and investigation into elephant seal biology and aid in developing new analytical approaches for large marine predators.

This study employed Rasch analyses to validate a novel measure of sport experience: the Sport Experience Measure: Children and Youth (SEM:CY). Analyses were applied to self-reported data of n = 503 young people (age 9–18 years, M = 12.91, 50% female) in Canada who were engaging in sport during the previous 12 months. The revised measure, consisting of 24 items on a 3-point response scale, demonstrated good fit statistics (e.g., item fit residual: M = −0.50, SD = 0.94 and person fit residual: M = −0.62, SD = 2.33), an ability to reliably discriminate between levels of sport experience, and an absence of differential item functioning for various groups (males and females, older and younger individuals, solo and team sports, and those playing at various competitive levels, including recreation). The SEM:CY is a succinct tool that can serve as a valuable means to gauge the quality of an individual's sport experience, which can facilitate positive youth development and sustain participation across the life span. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Is there an association between self-reported dual-task performance and fear of falling in older adults? Background/Objectives: Fear of falling tends to increase with age and can negatively impact dual-task abilities, leading to potential declines in overall quality of life. Therefore, it becomes crucial to evaluate dual-task performance in older adults, particularly prior to the onset of fear of falling. This study aims to investigate the potential association between self-reported dual-task performance and fear of falling in older adults. Methods: A total of 51 individuals (19 females and 32 males) were recruited. The participants met the inclusion criteria were administered the Dual-Task Questionnaire (DTQ), Falls Efficiency Scale International, and Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly. Multiple linear regression was performed to predict DTQ scores based on age, body mass index, and Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly. Results: A moderate positive correlation was found between Falls Efficiency Scale International scores and self-reported DTQ scores (r:.448, p:.001). Age, body mass index, and Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly were not found to be significant predictors of DTQ scores. Conclusions: Our study reveals a moderate positive association between fear of falling and self-reported dual-task performance in older adults. A direct relationship between physical activity performance, fear of falling, and self-reported dual-task performance was observed among older adults. Significance/Implications: Integrating self-reported measures like the DTQ in clinical evaluations can provide valuable insights into dual-task abilities of older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kinesiophobia, the fear of movement, can significantly impede an individuals ability to engage in daily activities. This fear often stems from past traumatic experiences or witnessing others in pain, leading to an increased fear of injury. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia among Iranian post-surgery patients. A methodological study conducted in 2023 involved a sample of 400 post-surgery patients selected through convenience sampling. The translated scale underwent psychometric evaluation, including network analysis, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis for construct validity, as well as assessments for convergent and discriminant validity. Internal consistency of the scale was also assessed. The mean age of the participants was 44.38 (SD = 13.49) years and the majority of them (77.8%) were women. Exploratory factor analysis with Promax rotation identified two factors explaining 60.28% of the variance, comprising 17 items. The final model was confirmed after necessary adjustments in confirmatory factor analysis. Both convergent and discriminant validity were established, and alpha and omega coefficients of the subscales were above 0.7. The Persian version of the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia showed robust psychometric properties among Iranian post-surgery patients, serving as a valuable tool for evaluating and addressing kinesiophobia in this population. These findings enhance the understanding and management of kinesiophobia within the Iranian healthcare context.

BACKGROUND: Motion Tape (MT) is a low-profile, disposable, self-adhesive wearable sensor that measures skin strain. Preliminary studies have validated MT for measuring lower back movement. However, further analysis is needed to determine if MT can be used to measure lower back muscle engagement. The purpose of this study was to measure differences in MT strain between conditions in which the lower back muscles were relaxed versus maximally activated. METHODS: Ten participants without low back pain were tested. A matrix of six MTs was placed on the lower back, and strain data were captured under a series of conditions. The first condition was a baseline trial, in which participants lay prone and the muscles of the lower back were relaxed. The subsequent trials were maximum voluntary isometric contractions (MVICs), in which participants did not move, but resisted the examiner force in extension or rotational directions to maximally engage their lower back muscles. The mean MT strain was calculated for each condition. A repeated measures ANOVA was conducted to analyze the effects of conditions (baseline, extension, right rotation, and left rotation) and MT position (1-6) on the MT strain. Post hoc analyses were conducted for significant effects from the overall analysis. RESULTS: The results of the ANOVA revealed a significant main effect of condition (p < 0.001) and a significant interaction effect of sensor and condition (p = 0.01). There were significant differences in MT strain between the baseline condition and the extension and rotation MVIC conditions, respectively, for sensors 4, 5, and 6 (p = 0.01-0.04). The largest differences in MT strain were observed between baseline and rotation conditions for sensors 4, 5, and 6. CONCLUSIONS: MT can capture maximal lower back muscle engagement while the trunk remains in a stationary position. Lower sensors are better able to capture muscle engagement than upper sensors. Furthermore, MT captured muscle engagement during rotation conditions better than during extension.

Studying the spatial-social interface requires tools that distinguish between social and spatial drivers of interactions. Testing hypotheses about the factors determining animal interactions often involves comparing observed interactions with reference or null models. One approach to accounting for spatial drivers of social interactions in reference models is randomizing animal movement paths to decouple spatial and social phenotypes while maintaining environmental effects on movements. Here, we update a reference model that detects social attraction above the effect of spatial constraints. We explore the use of our wrap-around method and compare its performance to the previous approach using agent-based simulations. The wrap-around method provides reference models that are more similar to the original tracking data, while still distinguishing between social and spatial drivers. Furthermore, the wrap-around approach results in fewer false-positives than its predecessor, especially when animals do not return to one place each night but change movement foci, either locally or directionally. Finally, we show that interactions among GPS-tracked griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus) emerge from social attraction rather than from spatial constraints on their movements. We conclude by highlighting the biological situations in which the updated method might be most suitable for testing hypotheses about the underlying causes of social interactions. This article is part of the theme issue The spatial-social interface: a theoretical and empirical integration.

Plum curculio, Conotrachelus nenuphar (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is a key pest in Southeastern peach production by infesting fruit and decreasing yield. In Northeastern apples, plum curculio was found to have an edge effect, where more plum curculio are present next to a forested border than in the center of an orchard, and their propensity to fly or walk depended on air temperature. We conducted field studies over 3 seasons (2019-2021) to investigate whether plum curculio in small Southeastern peach plots exhibits the edge effect and to determine its primary mode of movement (flying or walking). Our results revealed that plum curculio did not exhibit the edge effect in Southeastern peaches. Thus, unlike Northeastern apples where plum curculio exhibits the edge effect, the reduced-input application program where insecticide sprays mainly target a few perimeter-row trees instead of the whole orchard for plum curculio management is not recommended for Southeastern peaches. Additionally, we observed that plum curculio in Southeastern peaches did not exhibit a primary mode of movement, and in most of the sampling weeks, the numbers of flying and walking plum curculio were not significantly correlated in the field. These results emphasize that using plum curculio sampling tools that only capture flying or walking plum curculio is not ideal for monitoring plum curculio activity in the Southeast. Overall, our findings indicate that plum curculio in Southeastern small peach plots and Northeastern apples does not exhibit the same behavior (i.e., edge effect and propensity to fly or walk).

Contemporary research has begun to show a strong relationship between movements and the perception of time. More specifically, concurrent movements serve to both bias and enhance time estimates. To explain these effects, we recently proposed a mechanism by which movements provide a secondary channel for estimating duration that is combined optimally with sensory estimates. However, a critical test of this framework is that by introducing noise into movements, sensory estimates of time should similarly become noisier. To accomplish this, we had human participants move a robotic arm while estimating intervals of time in either auditory or visual modalities (n = 24, ea.). Crucially, we introduced an artificial tremor in the arm while subjects were moving, that varied across three levels of amplitude (1-3 N) or frequency (4-12 Hz). The results of both experiments revealed that increasing the frequency of the tremor led to noisier estimates of duration. Further, the effect of noise varied with the base precision of the interval, such that a naturally less precise timing (i.e., visual) was more influenced by the tremor than a naturally more precise modality (i.e., auditory). To explain these findings, we fit the data with a recently developed drift-diffusion model of perceptual decision-making, in which the momentary, within-trial variance was allowed to vary across conditions. Here, we found that the model could recapitulate the observed findings, further supporting the theory that movements influence perception directly. Overall, our findings support the proposed framework, and demonstrate the utility of inducing motor noise via artificial tremors.

Wearable activity sensors typically count movement quantity, such as the number of steps taken or the number of upper extremity (UE) counts achieved. However, for some applications, such as neurologic rehabilitation, it may be of interest to quantify the quality of the movement experience (QOME), defined, for example, as how diverse or how complex movement epochs are. We previously found that individuals with UE impairment after stroke exhibited differences in their distributions of forearm postures across the day and that these differences could be quantified with kurtosis-an established statistical measure of the peakedness of distributions. In this paper, we describe further progress toward the goal of providing real-time feedback to try to help people learn to modulate their movement diversity. We first asked the following: to what extent do different movement activities induce different values of kurtosis? We recruited seven unimpaired individuals and evaluated a set of 12 therapeutic activities for their forearm postural diversity using kurtosis. We found that the different activities produced a wide range of kurtosis values, with conventional rehabilitation therapy exercises creating the most spread-out distribution and cup stacking the most peaked. Thus, asking people to attempt different activities can vary movement diversity, as measured with kurtosis. Next, since kurtosis is a computationally expensive calculation, we derived a novel recursive algorithm that enables the real-time calculation of kurtosis. We show that the algorithm reduces computation time by a factor of 200 compared to an optimized kurtosis calculation available in SciPy, across window sizes. Finally, we embedded the kurtosis algorithm on a commercial smartwatch and validated its accuracy using a robotic simulator that wore the smartwatch, emulating movement activities with known kurtosis. This work verifies that different movement tasks produce different values of kurtosis and provides a validated algorithm for the real-time calculation of kurtosis on a smartwatch. These are needed steps toward testing QOME-focused, wearable rehabilitation.

Little is known about the electrophysiologic activity of the intact human spinal cord during volitional movement. We analyzed epidural spinal recordings from a total of five human subjects of both sexes during a variety of upper extremity movements and found that these spinal epidural electrograms contain spectral information distinguishing periods of movement, rest, and sensation. Cervical epidural electrograms also contained spectral changes time-locked with movement. We found that these changes were primarily associated with increased power in the theta (4-8 Hz) band and feature increased theta phase to gamma amplitude coupling, and this increase in theta power can be used to topographically map distinct upper extremity movements onto the cervical spinal cord in accordance with established myotome maps of the upper extremity. Our findings have implications for the development of neurostimulation protocols and devices focused on motor rehabilitation for the upper extremity, and the approach presented here may facilitate spatiotemporal mapping of naturalistic movements.

Mouse tracking is an important source of data in cognitive science. Most contemporary mouse tracking studies use binary-choice tasks and analyze the curvature or velocity of an individual mouse movement during an experimental trial as participants select from one of the two options. However, there are many types of mouse tracking data available beyond what is produced in a binary-choice task, including naturalistic data from web users. In order to utilize these data, cognitive scientists need tools that are robust to the lack of trial-by-trial structure in most normal computer tasks. We use singular value decomposition (SVD) and detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) to analyze whole time series of unstructured mouse movement data. We also introduce a new technique for describing two-dimensional mouse traces as complex-valued time series, which allows SVD and DFA to be applied in a straightforward way without losing important spatial information. We find that there is useful information at the level of whole time series, and we use this information to predict performance in an online task. We also discuss how the implications of these results can advance the use of mouse tracking research in cognitive science.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Recently, criteria have been drawn up for large muscle group movements during sleep (LMM), defined as movements lasting for 3-45 seconds in adults, which are often accompanied by changes in sleep stage, arousals, and increases in heart rate. The aim of this study was to characterize LMM in restless legs syndrome (RLS) in order to better evaluate their impact on the neurophysiology of the disorder and, therefore, the possible clinical implications. METHODS: Consecutive, drug-free patients diagnosed with RLS and controls, aged 18 years or more, were retrospectively enrolled. Leg movement activity-short-interval (SILMS), periodic (PLMS), and isolated (ISOLMS) leg movements during sleep-and LMM were detected and scored. RESULTS: In total, 100 patients and 67 controls were recruited. All movement measures were significantly higher in RLS. A significant positive correlation was found between LMM and ISOLMS index but not PLMS index in both groups. LMM index showed a significant negative correlation with total sleep time, sleep efficiency, and percentage of sleep stages N3 and R, as well as a significant positive correlation with the number of awakenings, and percentage of sleep stages N1 and N2 only in patients with RLS. No significant correlation was found between either LMM or PLMS index and RLS severity. CONCLUSIONS: Different types of movements, including SILMS, ISOLMS, and LMM, play somewhat distinct roles in sleep neurophysiology in RLS. Notably, LMM, a newly recognized category of movements, demonstrates associations with sleep architecture instability and fragmentation, arousals, and awakenings, suggesting potential clinical implications.

This primer describes research on the development of motor behavior. We focus on infancy when basic action systems are acquired-posture, locomotion, manual actions, and facial actions-and we adopt a developmental systems perspective to understand the causes and consequences of developmental change. Experience facilitates improvements in motor behavior and infants accumulate immense amounts of varied everyday experience with all the basic action systems. At every point in development, perception guides behavior by providing feedback about the results of just prior movements and information about what to do next. Across development, new motor behaviors provide new inputs for perception. Thus, motor development opens up new opportunities for acquiring knowledge and acting on the world, instigating cascades of developmental changes in perceptual, cognitive, and social domains. This article is categorized under: Cognitive Biology > Cognitive Development Psychology > Motor Skill and Performance Neuroscience > Development.