Which statement defines a motor skill and differentiates open vs closed skills?

Which statement defines a motor skill and differentiates open vs closed skills?

• A. A movement that requires practice and experience; open skills are variable and nonpredictable; closed skills are stable and predictable.
• B. A movement that does not require practice.
• C. A random action.
• D. A reflex.

Answer: (A)

Motor skills are actions that are learned and refined through practice, requiring voluntary muscle control to achieve a specific goal. The open vs closed distinction centers on the environment: open skills are performed in changing, unpredictable surroundings where performers must adapt; closed skills occur in stable, predictable environments where movements can be planned and performed consistently. The statement aligns with this because it notes that the movement requires practice and experience (a signature of skill development) and correctly describes open skills as variable and nonpredictable and closed skills as stable and predictable. Other options describe actions that are not skills (a movement that does not require practice), random actions, or reflexes, which do not reflect a learned, controllable movement.

Motor skills are actions that are learned and refined through practice, requiring voluntary muscle control to achieve a specific goal. The open vs closed distinction centers on the environment: open skills are performed in changing, unpredictable surroundings where performers must adapt; closed skills occur in stable, predictable environments where movements can be planned and performed consistently. The statement aligns with this because it notes that the movement requires practice and experience (a signature of skill development) and correctly describes open skills as variable and nonpredictable and closed skills as stable and predictable. Other options describe actions that are not skills (a movement that does not require practice), random actions, or reflexes, which do not reflect a learned, controllable movement.