Qin "Arthur" Zhu, Ph.D

Assistant Professor
Motor Learning and Control, Human Perception and Action

RESEARCH INTERESTS

I have a general interest in studying perceptual-motor skills, the skills that we acquired and use on daily basis or in sport settings. Using perception-action approach, my research examines how perception and action are intertwined in forming perceptual-motor skills and how maximum efficiency could be achieved in sensorimotor control. I am specifically interested in topics of Affordances, Overarm Throwing, Transfer of Motor Skills, and Rehabilitation of Motor Skills.

RESEARCH PROJECTS IN PROGRESS

• Perceptual-Motor Mechanisms in Long Distance Aimed Throwing
• Effect of visual illusion on discrete and continuous tapping task
• Effect of active music making on reach-to-grasp movement
• Learning bimanual coordination through somatosensory feedback

EDUCATION

Ph.D in Human Performance, Indiana University (2008)

M.Ed. in Exercise Science, Shanghai University of Sport (2002)

B.S. in Coaching Education, Shanghai University of Sport (1999)

TEACHING

• KIN 4020 - Motor Behavior
• KIN 4900 - Understanding Skill Acquisition for Teaching
• KIN 5039 - Perception/Action in Motor Skills
• KIN 5586 - Advances in Research of Sport Expertise 

AFFILIATIONS, ASSOCIATIONS, CONSULTATIONS

• International Society for Perception and Action (ISPA)
• North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity (NASPSPA)
• Rocky Mountain Psychological Association (RMPA)
• NSF THe Perception, Action, and Cognition Panel External Grant Reviewer
• USA Badminton Coaching Development Program (USABCDP)
• USA Badminton Court Official Committee (USABCOC)

GRANTS, HONORS, AWARDS

2012: “Investigating Changes in Perceptuo-Motor Learning Rates as a Function of Aging in Bimanual Coordination” by Key Laboratory Initiative Grant for International Collaboration , Shanghai University of Sport, Ministry of Education, CHINA for ￥100,000 (Funded)

2010: "Investigating the Effect of Inter-manual Transfer of Learning on Acquisition of Long Distance Aimed Overarm Throwing" by UW Faculty-Grant-In-Aid for $7500 (Funded)

2010: "Investigating the Effect of Bimanual Transfer of Learning on Acquisition of Chinese Handwriting" by College of Health Sciences Faculty Seed Grant for $7500 (Funded)

2010: "Optimal Strung Tension on Racquet for Maximum Striking Performance of Badminton Players" by YONEX Sports for $3,000 (Funded) 

2009: "Interlimb Transfer of Learning and Electrostimulation of Acupoints: Their Respective and Coupled Effects on Acquisition of the Aimed Ballistic Motor Skill" by NIH INBRE Pilot Grant, University of Wyoming for $25,000 (Partially Funded for $14,000)

PUBLICATIONS

REFERRED BOOK CHAPTERS

Zhu, Q., & Bingham, G.P. (2009). Investigating the information used to detect an affordance for maximum distance throws. In J. Wagman & C. Pagano (Eds.) Studies in Perception and Action X. Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

REFEREED JOURNAL ARTICLES

Zhu, Q., & Bingham, G.P. (2011). Human readiness to throw: the size-weight illusion is not an illusion when picking the best objects to throw. Evolution and Human Behavior.

Zhu, Q., & Bingham, G.P. (2010). Learning to perceive the affordance for long distance throwing: smart mechanism or function learning. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 36, 4, 862-875.

Zhu, Q., & Bingham, G.P. (2009). Learning to throw to maximum distances:  Do release angle and speed reflect affordances for throwing? Human Movement Science, 28,6, 708-725.

Zhu, Q., & Bingham, G.P. (2008). Is hefting to perceive the affordance for throwing a smart perceptual mechanism. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Performance and Perception, 34, 4, 929-943.

Ren, J., Zhang, J.C., Jin, Y.H. , & Zhu, Q. (2001). The implicit learning and distractive practice in motor skill learning: coping with the stress. Journal of Sports Science, 3, Beijing, China. 

Zhu, Q., & Zhang, J.C. (2000). Status Quo of researches on selective attention in contemporary sports. Academic Journal of Shanghai Institute of Physical Education, 4, Shanghai, China.

NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PRESENTATIONS

Zhu, Q. “Expert release control in response to changing spatial properties of a remote target” Poster presented at the NASPSPA conference, Honolulu, HI, USA, June 2012.

Alphonsa, S., & Zhu, Q. “The perceived index of difficulty affected accuracy more than movement time in a rapid tapping task” Poster presented at the NASPSPA conference, Honolulu, HI, USA, June 2012.

Falvey, J., & Zhu, Q. “The effect of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation combined with mental practice to learn a novel fine motor skill” Poster presented at the NASPSPA conference, Honolulu, HI, USA, June 2012.

Zhu, Q., Leonard, K., & Falvey, J. “The roles of self identity and expertise in judging spatial properties of a hidden remote target in point-light-display of aimed throwing” Poster presented at the NASPSPA conference, Honolulu, HI, USA, June 2012.

Zhu, Q. “Assessing string tension effect on badminton power stroke performed by players at different levels” Poster presented at the 12th Measurement and Evaluation Symposium: New approaches in measuring and assessing physical activity, Boston, MA, USA, March, 2012.

Zhu, Q. “Perception and Action Approach to Study Skill Acquisition in Sport and Rehabilitation” Invited oral presentation to the Department of Psychology, Suchow University, Suzhou, CHINA, June , 2011.

Zhu, Q. “Research on Affordances in Sport” Invited oral presentation to the Graduate School, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, CHINA, June, 2011.

Zhu, Q., & Ravi, R.P. "Effects of target height and distance on the release control of long distance aimed overarm throwing" Poster in the 8th Progress in Motor Control meeting (PMC VIII), campus of the University of Cincinnati, OH, USA, July 21-23, 2011.

Ravi, R.P., & Zhu, Q. "Expert Throwers can Perceive Spatial Properties of a Remote Target in Point-Light Display of Self Throws prior to Release" Poster in NASPSPA conference, Burlington, VT, USA, June 9-12, 2011.

Zhu, Q. "Does String Tension Make Sense to Badminton Players?- A Study on The Affordance of String Tension" Verbal presentation in NASPSPA conference, Burlington, VT, USA, June 9-12, 2011.

Zhu, Q., & Bingham, G.P. "Investigating the Information Used to Detect an Affordance for Maximum Distance Throws" Poster at the 15th International Conference on Perception and Action, Saint Paul campus of the University of Minnesota, MN, USA, July 2009.

Zhu, Q., Dapena, J., Shea, J.B., & Bingham, G.P. "Effects of Object Size and Weight on the Kinematics of Throwing During Acquisition of Maximum Distance Throws" Poster in NASPSPA Conference, Austin, TX, USA, June 2009

Zhu, Q., Shea, J.B., & Bingham, G.P. "How People Became Sensitive to the Throwability of an Object: Learning Affordances while Learning to Throw" Poster in 79^th Annual Convention of Rocky Mountain Psychological Association, Albuquerque, NM, USA, April 2009.

Bingham, G.P & Zhu, Q. "Hefting to Perceive Affordances for Maximum Throwing Distances is a Smart Perceptual Mechanism" at the International Conference "A Natural-Physical Perspective on Perception-Action-Cognition", Storrs, CT, USA, June 19-21, 2008.

PUBLIC MEDIA ATTENTION ON RESEARCH

USNews Science /January 25, 2011: "Human's Critical Ability to Throw Long Distances Aided by an Illusion - New research shows how humans, unlike any other species on Earth, readily learn to throw long distances."

National Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent) /February, 2011: "Bad at estimating? Blame Evolution."