Which option listed is NOT a stage in acquiring motor skills?

• A. Autonomous
• B. Associative
• C. Dissociative
• D. Cognitive

Answer: (C)

Motor skill learning unfolds through three commonly described stages: cognitive, associative, and autonomous. In the cognitive stage, you rely on conscious thought to understand and begin performing the task, with noticeable errors. In the associative stage, your movements become smoother and you start correcting mistakes through practice, increasing consistency. In the autonomous stage, the skill is automatic and can be performed with little conscious effort. The term that does not fit this framework is dissociative, as it is not used to describe a stage of motor skill development. So, dissociative is not a stage in acquiring motor skills.