Psychomotor Domain
The psychomotor domain includes physical movement, coordination, and use of the motor-skill areas. Development of these skills requires practice and is measured in terms of speed, precision, distance, procedures, or techniques in execution. The seven major categories listed the simplest behavior to the most complex:Perception
The ability to use sensory cues to guide motor activity. This ranges from sensory stimulation, through cue selection, to translation.
Examples: Detects nonverbal communication cues. Adjusts heat of stove to correct temperature by smell and taste of food. Estimate where a ball will land after it is thrown and then moving to the correct location to catch the ball. Adjusts the height of the forks on a forklift by comparing where the forks are in relation to the pallet.
Key Words: Describe, choose, differentiate, detect, identify, distinguish, isolate, relate, select.
Set
Readiness to act. It includes mental, physical, and emotional sets. These three sets are dispositions that predetermine a person's response to different situations (sometimes called mindsets).
Examples: Recognize one's abilities and limitations. Knows and acts upon a sequence of steps in a manufacturing process. Shows desire to learn a new process (motivation). NOTE: This subdivision of Psychomotor is closely related with the "Responding to phenomena" subdivision of the Affective domain.
Key Words: Display, begin, move, explain, react, proceed, volunteer, show, state.
Guided Response
The early stages in learning a complex skill that includes imitation and trial and error. Adequacy of performance is achieved by practicing.
Examples: Follows instructions to build a model. Performs a mathematical equation as demonstrated. Responds hand signals of instructor while learning to operate a forklift.
Key Words: Trace, copy, react, follow, respond, reproduce.
Mechanism
This is the intermediate stage in learning a complex skill. Learned responses have become habitual and the movements can be performed with some confidence and proficiency.
Examples: Repair a leaking faucet. Use a personal computer. Drive a car.
Key Words: Calibrate, assemble, dismantle, construct, fasten, display, grind, fix, manipulate, heat, mend, measure, organize, mix, sketch.
Complex Overt Response
The skillful performance of motor acts that involve complex movement patterns. Proficiency is indicated by a quick, accurate, and highly coordinated performance, requiring a minimum of energy. This category includes performing without hesitation, and automatic performance.
Examples: Maneuver a car into a tight parallel parking spot. Operate a computer quickly and accurately. Display competence while playing the piano.
Key Words: Build, assemble, construct, calibrate, display, dismantle, fixe, fasten, heat, grind, measure, manipulate, mix, mend, sketch, organize.
Origination
Creating new movement patterns to fit a particular situation or specific problem. Learning outcomes emphasize creativity based upon highly developed skills.
Examples: Construct a new theory. Create a new gymnastic routine. Develop a new and comprehensive training programming.
Key Words: Build, arrange, compose, combine, create, construct, initiate, design, make, originate.
Other Psychomotor Domains
As mentioned earlier, the committee did not produce a compilation for the psychomotor
domain model, but others have. The one discussed above is by Simpson (1972).
There are two other popular versions:
Dave's(4):
Manipulation: Being able to perform certain actions by following instructions and
practicing. Example: Creating work on one's own, after taking lessons, or reading
about it.
Imitation: Observing and patterning behavior after someone else. Performance
may be of low quality. Example: Copying a work of art.
Articulation: Coordinating a series of actions, achieving harmony and internal
consistency. Example: Producing a video that involves music, drama, color,
sound, etc.
Precision: Refining, becoming more exact. Few errors are apparent. Example:
Working and reworking something, so it will be "just right."
Naturalization: Having high level performance become natural, without needing
to think much about it. Examples: Michael Jordan playing basketball, Nancy
Lopez hitting a golf ball, etc.
