Welcome to the Perceptual-Motor Behaviour Lab
One of my favourite ways to encourage students to think differently about movement is to have them watch this TED Talk given by Dr. Daniel Wolpert. He is a neuroscientist and he asks, “Why do we, and other animals, have brains?” Dr. Wolpert makes the case that the fundamental role of the brain is to “produce adaptable and complex movements”. Take 20 minutes now, if you have it, and watch his engaging talk about human movement.
What is perceptual-motor behaviour? It can be described as an active process in which individuals (i) analyze environmental information received through the senses (perception), (ii) select an appropriate course of action (decision making), and (iii) organize the motor system in preparation to execute the desired response (action). Researchers who study perceptual-motor behaviour aim to better understand human motor control and skill acquisition.
The long-term goals of my research program are two-fold. First, to expand our knowledge of the perceptual, cognitive and motor processes that underlie the ability to predict another person's action when planning and monitoring one's actions. Second, to examine perceptual-motor performance in clinical populations such as Down syndrome. Although my research interests are broad (take a look at my publications and conference presentations), there is one fundamental question that ties my research program together: How does the brain organize, integrate, and translate sensory input into purposeful and coordinated action?
Research funded by
