On the Learning, Transmission, and Embodiment of Swimming's Haptic Grammar

Area of Science:

• Kinesiology
• Embodied Cognition
• Social Learning Theory

Background:

• Traditional approaches to learning bodily movement often overlook the sensory and perceptual aspects.
• Understanding how individuals acquire complex motor skills, such as swimming, requires examining the role of embodied experience.
• The concept of 'being-in-the-world' is deeply connected to our ability to perceive and interact with our environment through movement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and develop the concept of 'haptic grammar' as a framework for understanding sensory learning in bodily motion.
• To explore how shared sensory knowledge and perception are crucial for acquiring enskilled bodily movement.
• To investigate the social processes involved in learning to move, using swimming as a case study.

Main Methods:

• Ethnographic examination of swimmers learning specific techniques (e.g., 'the catch', sculling, hand entry).
• Analysis of interlocutions between swimmers and coaches regarding bodily motions.
• Focus on the sensory feedback and proprioceptive understanding developed during skill acquisition.

Main Results:

• Learning skilled bodily movement is a social process reliant on shared sensory knowledge.
• Swimmers develop expertise through interaction and communication about specific movements and sensations.
• A 'haptic grammar' facilitates the acquisition of skillful movement and enhances the sense of being in the water.

Conclusions:

• 'Haptic grammar' provides a valuable lens for studying the sensory dimensions of motor learning.
• Social interaction and shared perception are fundamental to developing expertise in embodied skills.
• This framework enhances our understanding of how individuals become 'swimmers' through embodied, socialized learning.