Which statement is NOT consistent with dynamic systems theory?

• A. No single controller dictates behavior
• B. Movement emerges from interactions among multiple subsystems
• C. Patterns self-organize spontaneously
• D. Movement is completely predetermined by genetic programming

Answer: (D)

Dynamic systems theory explains movement as the product of many interacting subsystems—neuromuscular, sensory, biomechanical, and environmental—rather than a single centralized controller. Because behavior emerges from these interactions and adapts to context, there isn’t one commander directing every action. Patterns can self-organize into stable forms, or attractors, depending on task, environment, and the person’s history of movement. Genetics provide constraints, but they don’t lock in movement to a fixed, prewritten script; experience, learning, and context continually shape how an action unfolds. So, saying movement is completely predetermined by genetic programming would contradict the idea that movement emerges and adapts through multiple interacting factors. The other statements fit this view: there isn’t a lone controller, movement arises from subsystem interactions, and patterns can self-organize.