(Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Science)
This area studies the acquisition and performance of human motor behaviour by examining the relationship among knowledge, neurological function and movement in social and environmental contexts. Theoretical and applications relevant to health, ergonomics, sport and rehabilitation are of interest. Courses and research emphasize:
- neural control of movement including the study of the neurobehavioural processes in the learning and control of movement. This includes the study of aging and various acquired and developmental disabilities.
- cognition and movement including the study of the representation of knowledge, schemas, motor programs, sensorimotor integration, perceptual, attentional and emotional processes. These are applied to motor learning and skill acquisition, expert versus novice differences and information processing in ergonomics, robotics and rehabilitation.
- social psychology and movement is concerned with processes of social perception and cognition and social information processing. The influence of factors such as expectancies, attributions, attitudes and attitude change, social judgement, self efficacy, and other motivational variables are examined. Individual difference variables are considered as they moderate the effect of social factors and processes on motor behaviour. Group dynamic variables such as cohesion are considered as they moderate individual social perceptions, behaviour and motor performance. The areas are examined in health, work, sport, exercise and rehabilitative settings.