Influence Of Location And Gender On Performance Of Selected Motor Skills Among Secondary School Student
[AWKA SOUTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, ANAMBRA STATE]

CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
The literature for this research work was reviewed under the following sub- headings:
a.    Motor skill performance
b.    Gender and motor performance
c.    Rural students and motor skill performance
d.    Urban students and motor skill performance
e.    Summary
Motor Skill Performance
One of the fundamental aspects of physical education is the teaching and learning of motor skill. Motor skill has been referred to as the very heart and core of the physical education programme because it is through motor performance that most learning and accomplishments attributed to physical education become visible. Voltmer and Esslinger (1978) also agreed that the attainment of all the objectives of physical education depends to a large extent upon the development of a wide variety of motor skills. Bucher (1979) has outlined a number of important contributions of motor skill learning in the life of the child. He stated that motor skill performance enables the child to increase his knowledge as he beings to explore his environment, gain acceptance of peer groups, derive pleasure from participation and thereby contribute to emotional health, gain self confidence if he can participate in some physical activities and engage in worthwhile physical activities rather than antisocial behaviours. Motor skill refers to the muscular movement or motion of the body required for the successful execution of desired act (Singer 1975). Grahan (1987) stated that motor skill is seen as both fundamental movement skills such as running, twisting, throwing and striking an object as well as the basic sport skills which combine varying fundamental movement skills, for example a combination of running and jumping in dance and gymnastics. Physical educators have tried to categorize motor skills. Singer (1975) categorize motor skill as fine and gross. Fine motor skills refer to the neuromuscular co-ordinations involved in precision oriented tasks such as typing, piano playing, needle threading to mention but a few while gross motor skills involve the contraction and usage of the large muscles of the body. Many researchers suggested that physical education should be primarily concerned with the propagation of gross motor skill. It is however observed that a great deal of activity takes place in the large muscle groups even though an individual is apparently engaging in what most would term fine motor skill. Sports skills of all kinds are considered gross motor skill.
The learning of most tasks hinges on a number of factors, among which are hereditary and experiential factors. Nixon and Jewett (1980) observed that heredity provides the potential for growth, whereas environment may be said to aid development within the hereditary limits. Singer (1975) stated that although a certain body type or build may contribute to success in specific motor activities, it is by no means necessary. Supporting the above view, Oberteuffer and Ulrich (1970) stated that bodybuilding does have an influence on motor performance but it is not a predicator of motor performance. Cratty (1973) reported that there are inherent qualities in the formation of locomotors and manipulative activities during the early years of life. These inherent qualities could be associated with genetics and environmental experiences. Singer (1975) also went on to assert that though achievement in intellectual pursuits and athletic endeavour will be determined by genetics, environment experience will do much to influence the level of achievement. It implies from Singer’s view that enriched and varied early childhood experiences constitute a factor leading to the probability of learning motor skills. Cratty (1973) went further to say that the situation for figuring out and executing appropriate movement responses begin at a very early age. He added that the extent to which a child successfully experiences perceptual motor behaviours and develops meteorically will probably influence his rate of achievements when confronted with new motor tasks. Generally motor skill requires that already learned movements be put together as very few physical activities are really new to the learner following successful motorical childhood years. Essential movement patterns learned well by the childhood will affect the degree to which complex skills will be attained in later year (Cratty 1973 & Singer 1975).
Another factor influencing motor skill performance is the level of aspiration of the performer and his attitude toward the task to be performed. Scanlan (1982) stated that the level of an individual when he undertakes a motor task will greatly determine his achievement while previous failures or successes determine the level one sets for himself. The performance expectances are contingent on the prior personal achievement and potential achievements. The nature and amount of past experience in a task influences level of aspiration. This was why individuals with high aspiration level perform best while those with a background of failure usually have low aspirations, or underestimate their performance potential (Oberteuffer and Ulrich 1970).
On the issue of attitude toward the task to be performed, Singer (1975) said that a person’s expectancy and attitudes are related to motor task performance. Interest in the motor tasks, a desire to achieve well, effort and motivation lead to more meaningful practice sessions. These attitudes or ways of regarding something become more pronounced with age or maturity. In addition, the value system of a society establishes certain standards that provide direction of an attitude and account for persistence (Mathews, 1978).
Kenyon (1970) stated that some physical educators have at various times attached low levels of participation