Polytechnic University of the Philippines

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Sta. Mesa, Manila

Measurement and Evaluation

EDUC 2153

A Research and Synthesis on:

BLOOMS TAXONOMY: PSYCHOMOTOR DOMAIN

Submitted by:
Bercadez, April Grace R.
Manalo, Joemclee
Pollosco, Myrnilyn
Silva, Ma. Venus R.
Vega, Byron T.
Vicente, Joybelle Marie A.

BSEDEN 4-1D

Submitted to:
Professor Jay-R A. Manamtam

August 17, 2015

Psychomotor Domain

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I. RESEARCH
BLOOMS TAXONOMY: PSYCHOMOTOR DOMAIN
There are three main domains of learning and all teachers should know about them
and use them to construct lessons. These domains are cognitive (thinking), affective
(emotion/feeling), and psychomotor (physical/kinesthetic). Each domain on this page has a
taxonomy associated with it. Taxonomy is simply a word for a classification. All of the
taxonomies below are arranged so that they proceed from the simplest to more complex
levels. The ones discussed here are usually attributed to their primary author, even though the
actual development may have had many authors in its formal, complete citation.

Benjamin Bloom (Cognitive Domain),

David Krathwohl (Affective Domain), and

Anita Harrow (Psychomotor Domain).

It is interesting to note that even though the taxonomy associated with cognition is

commonly referred to as Blooms Taxonomy, David Krathwohl was also one of the original
authors in creating this work. This will become important when you look at the 2001 revisions to
this taxonomy.
Many veteran teachers are unaware that the cognitive/thinking domain, again commonly
known as Blooms Taxonomy and originally published in 1956, had major revisions in 2000/01.
While I have included the original cognitive one, I have also attached it to the newly revised
version so that users can see the differences. The newer version of Blooms Taxonomy of
Learning has a number of added features that are very useful to educators in constructing optimal
learning experiences.
Additionally, when possible, teachers should attempt to construct more holistic
lessons by using all 3 domains in learning tasks. This diversity helps to create more well-rounded
learning experiences and meets a number of learning styles and learning modalities, plus it
creates more neural networks and pathways aiding recall.

Psychomotor Domain

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The psychomotor domain (Simpson, 1972) includes physical movement, coordination,

and use of the motor-skill areas. Development of these skills requires practice and is measured in
terms of speed, precision, distance, procedures, or techniques in execution. Thus, psychomotor
skills rage from manual tasks, such as digging a ditch or washing a car, to more complex tasks,
such as operating a complex piece of machinery or dancing.
The seven major categories are listed from the simplest behavior to the most complex:
Category

Example and Key Words (verbs)

Perception (awareness): The ability to use

Examples: Detects non-verbal communication

sensory cues to guide motor activity. This

cues. Estimate where a ball will land after it is

ranges from sensory stimulation, through

thrown and then moving to the correct location

cue selection, to translation.

to catch the ball. Adjusts heat of stove to correct

temperature by smell and taste of food. Adjusts
the height of the forks on a forklift by
comparing where the forks are in relation to the
pallet.
Key Words: chooses, describes, detects,
differentiates, distinguishes, identifies, isolates,
relates, selects.
Examples: Knows and acts upon a sequence of

Set: Readiness to act. It includes mental,

steps in a manufacturing process. Recognize

physical, and emotional sets. These three

one's abilities and limitations. Shows desire to

sets are dispositions that predetermine a

learn a new process (motivation).

person's response to different situations

NOTE: This subdivision of Psychomotor is

(sometimes called mindsets).

closely related with the Responding to

phenomena subdivision of the Affective
domain.
Key Words: begins, displays, explains, moves,

Guided Response: The early stages in

proceeds, reacts, shows, states, volunteers.

Examples: Performs a mathematical equation

learning a complex skill that includes

as demonstrated. Follows instructions to build a

imitation and trial and error. Adequacy of

model. Responds hand-signals of instructor

Psychomotor Domain

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performance is achieved by practicing.

while learning to operate a forklift.

Key Words: copies, traces, follows, react,

Mechanism (basic proficiency): This is the

reproduce, responds
Examples: Use a personal computer. Repair a

intermediate stage in learning a complex

leaking faucet. Drive a car.

skill. Learned responses have become

Key Words: assembles, calibrates, constructs,

habitual and the movements can be

dismantles, displays, fastens, fixes, grinds,

performed with some confidence and

heats, manipulates, measures, mends, mixes,

proficiency.
Complex Overt Response (Expert): The

organizes, sketches.
Examples: Maneuvers a car into a tight

skillful performance of motor acts that

parallel parking spot. Operates a computer

involve complex movement

quickly and accurately. Displays competence

patterns. Proficiency is indicated by a

while playing the piano.

quick, accurate, and highly coordinated

Key Words: assembles, builds, calibrates,

performance, requiring a minimum of

constructs, dismantles, displays, fastens, fixes,

energy. This category includes performing

grinds, heats, manipulates, measures, mends,

without hesitation, and automatic

mixes, organizes, sketches.

performance. For example, players are

NOTE: The Key Words are the same as

often utter sounds of satisfaction or

Mechanism, but will have adverbs or adjectives

expletives as soon as they hit a tennis ball

that indicate that the performance is quicker,

or throw a football, because they can tell

better, more accurate, etc.

by the feel of the act what the result will

produce.
Adaptation: Skills are well developed and

Examples: Responds effectively to unexpected

the individual can modify movement

experiences. Modifies instruction to meet the

patterns to fit special requirements.

needs of the learners. Perform a task with a

machine that it was not originally intended to
do (machine is not damaged and there is no
danger in performing the new task).
Key Words: adapts, alters, changes, rearranges,
reorganizes, revises, varies.

Psychomotor Domain

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Origination: Creating new movement

Examples: Constructs a new theory. Develops

patterns to fit a particular situation or

a new and comprehensive training

specific problem. Learning outcomes

programming. Creates a new gymnastic routine.

emphasize creativity based upon highly

Key Words: arranges, builds, combines,

developed skills.

composes, constructs, creates, designs, initiate,

makes, originates.

The Psychomotor or Kinesthetic Domain

Psychomotor objectives are those specific to discreet physical functions, reflex actions
and interpretive movements. Traditionally, these types of objectives are concerned with the
physically encoding of information, with movement and/or with activities where the gross and
fine muscles are used for expressing or interpreting information or concepts. This area also refers
to natural, autonomic responses or reflexes.
As stated earlier, to avoid confusion, if the activity is simply something that is physical
which supports another area affective or cognitive term the objective physical rather than
psychomotor. Again, this goes to instructional intent. A primary example of something physical
which supports specific cognitive development and skills might be looking through a microscope
and identifying and drawing cells. Here the instructional intent of this common scientific activity
is not to develop specific skilled proficiency in microscope viewing or in reproducing cells
through drawing. Usually the key intent in this activity is that a physical action supports or is a
vehicle for cognitive growth and furthering recognition skills. The learner is using the physical
action to achieve the cognitive objectives identify, recognize, and differentiate varied types of
cells.
If you are using a physical activity to support a cognitive or affective function, simply
label it as something physical (labeling the objective as kinesthetic, haptic, or tactile is also
acceptable) and avoid the term psychomotor. Labeling something psychomotor means there is a
very clear educational intention for growth to occur in the psychomotor domain.
Certainly more complex learning objectives can be written so that they that meld 2 or 3
domains. For instance, students can gain appreciation (an affective objective) for the culture or

Psychomotor Domain

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country of origin through conducting investigations or listening to stories while learning the
dances from other countries. Learning dance steps would fall under skilled movements in the
psychomotor domain.
(Terms in this area based on Anita Harrows taxonomy).
Reflex movements

Objectives at this level include reflexes that involve one segmental or reflexes of the
spine and movements that may involve more than one segmented portion of the spine as
intersegmental reflexes (e.g., involuntary muscle contraction). These movements are
involuntary being either present at birth or emerging through maturation.

Fundamental movements

Objectives in this area refer to skills or movements or behaviors related to walking,

running, jumping, pushing, pulling and manipulating. They are often components for
more complex actions.

Perceptual abilities

Objectives in this area should address skills related to kinesthetic (bodily movements),
visual, auditory, tactile (touch), or coordination abilities as they are related to the ability
to take in information from the environment and react.

Physical abilities

Objectives in this area should be related to endurance, flexibility, agility, strength,

reaction-response time or dexterity.

Skilled movements

Objectives in this area refer to skills and movements that must be learned for games,
sports, dances, performances, or for the arts.

Psychomotor Domain

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Nondiscursive communication

Objectives in this area refer to expressive movements through posture, gestures, facial
expressions, and/or creative movements like those in mime or ballet. These movements
refer to interpretative movements that communicate meaning without the aid of verbal
commands or help.

REFERENCES:
Bloom, B.S. (Ed.). Engelhart, M.D., Furst, E.J., Hill, W.H., Krathwohl, D.R. (1956). Taxonomy
of Educational Objectives, Handbook I: The Cognitive Domain. New York: David
McKay Co Inc.
Harrow, A. (1972) A Taxonomy of Psychomotor Domain: A Guide for Developing Behavioral
Objectives. New York: David McKay.

Simpson E.J. (1972). The Classification of Educational Objectives in the Psychomotor Domain.
Washington, DC: Gryphon House.

Psychomotor Domain

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II. SYNTHESIS
BLOOMS TAXONOMY: PSYCHOMOTOR DOMAIN
Before we start the reporting, Rochelle Lagos presented their groups motivation for the
day. She asked everyone to get a piece of paper then write what, who, and why questions. The
after that we passed the paper then we read the question and the person beside us read the answer
on the paper they are holding. The activity was fun because it appears that the answers to the
questions were funny. It lasted for about 20 minute or more then the reporting started.
Shekinah Amoyo was the reporter for that day. Her topic was about the Psychomotor
Domain of Blooms Taxonomy. She introduced the Psychomotor Domain by defining it. She said
that Psychomotor Domain involves muscular activities where a person uses parts of his body or
his whole body to do activities. After her introduction she elaborate one by one the different
levels of psychomotor domain like Reflex Movements, Basic Fundamental Movements,
Perceptual Abilities, Physical Abilities, Skilled Movements and Non-Discursive Communication.
She gave examples and explained each stage further. According to her, the Reflex Movements
are the lowest level and it is a natural movement. The Basic Movements sub categories are
Locomotor Movement or the movement of body from one place to another like walking, NonLocomotor Movements where there is no moving from one place to another the person will stay
in his position while moving parts of his body like twisting of the body, and Manipulative
Movements which uses hands to control or move things like placing a cup from a table to
another table. Another psychomotor domain level is the Perceptual Abilities where a person will
use his senses to perceive things. The Physical Abilities are those done to maintain health and
fitness it is under physical education like sports and such. Skilled Movements are achieved
when you obtained the physical abilities and used it to create things while the Non-Discursive
Communication is the combination of all the levels of psychomotor domain to achieve a great
level of expertise.
Another reporter was Dyea Dolot but she just gave some introduction about the
Classroom tests because the next group will elaborate it fully.
After the report Professor Manamtam reviewed the Psychomotor Domains, added
information and gave some examples. An example for Reflex Movement is a heartbeat. While in
Psychomotor Domain

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Basic Fundamental Movements it is the moving of hands. The Perceptual Abilities just like what
the reporter had discussed is when a person uses his 5 senses to recognize and do things by
physically smelling, tasting, touching, seeing and hearing. The Physical Abilities Sir Manamtam
said are exercises like jogging theres a repetition on what you are doing. The Skilled
Movements gave extra strength and the Non-Discursive is when you are using a material like in
typing or drawing.

Psychomotor Domain

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