Final answer:
The skill described is fine motor skills, which involve the precise control of small muscle movements, particularly in the hands, fingers, and eyes, essential for tasks that require high precision and coordination.
Step-by-step explanation:
The motor skill that requires control of small muscles to achieve the skill's goal, typically involving eye-hand coordination and high precision of hand and finger movement, is known as fine motor skills. These skills are critical for tasks such as writing with a pencil, using scissors, or manipulating small objects.
Fine motor skills enable individuals to perform delicate movements using the small muscles in their hands, fingers, and eyes. This involves coordination of muscle units which allow for precise control, like those found in the extraocular muscles responsible for eye movements, or the precise movements required for grasping or texting with our hands and fingers.
Tests such as the finger-to-nose test assess the ability to coordinate these fine motor movements. During this test, patients must alternate movements between opposing muscle groups, like the biceps and triceps. This type of coordination relies heavily on the interaction between the motor cortex, cerebellum, and visual cortex to plan and guide precise movements.