Final answer:
Closed motor skills are usually retained the best because they are practiced in stable, predictable environments, allowing the development of muscle memory. These skills are contrasted with open, continuous, and discrete motor skills, each utilized in different environmental conditions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Motor skills, which allow us to move our bodies and manipulate objects, can be classified based on how predictable and variable the environment is in which they are performed. There are four distinct types of motor skills:
- Open motor skills: These skills require an individual to adapt movements in response to a changing environment. An example would be playing soccer, where players must continually adjust their actions based on the ball's position, opponents, and teammates.
- Continuous motor skills: These involve repetitive actions that have no distinct beginning or end. Swimming laps in a pool is a continuous motor skill.
- Discrete motor skills: These are actions with a clear start and finish, such as flipping a light switch.
- Closed motor skills: These are performed in a stable, predictable environment, and the performer knows what to do and when. An example would be a gymnast performing a routine on the balance beam.
Of these, closed motor skills are typically retained the best because they are practiced and perfected in a stable environment where conditions do not vary greatly. This allows the individual to develop muscle memory which helps in retaining these skills over time.
Using scissors to cut out paper shapes is an example of fine motor skills, which involve the coordination of small muscle movements, typically in the fingers, toes, and eyes.