Bloom S Taxonomy The Psychomotor Domain

4/7/2021 Bloom's Taxonomy: The Psychomotor Domain
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B l o o m ' s Ta xo n o m y : T h e
Psychomotor Domain
www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/Bloom/psychomotor_domain.html 1/12
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:
Example and Key Words

Category
(verbs)
Perception (awareness): The Examples: Detects

ability to use sensory cues to non-verbal
guide motor activity. This ranges communication cues.
from sensory stimulation, through Estimate where a ball
cue selection, to translation. will land after it is
thrown and then
moving to the correct
location 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.
Set: Readiness to act. It includes Examples: Knows and

mental, physical, and emotional acts upon a sequence
sets. These three sets are of steps in a
dispositions that predetermine a manufacturing process.
person's response to different Recognize one's
situations (sometimes called abilities and
mindsets). limitations. Shows
desire to learn a new
process (motivation).
NOTE: This
subdivision of
Psychomotor is closely
related with the
“Responding to
phenomena”
subdivision of the
Affective domain.
Key Words: begins,

displays, explains,
moves, proceeds,
reacts, shows, states,

volunteers.
Examples: Performs a
mathematical equation
as demonstrated.
Follows instructions to
Guided Response: The early
build a model.
stages in learning a complex skill
Responds hand-
that includes imitation and trial
signals of instructor
and error. Adequacy of
while learning to
performance is achieved by
operate a forklift.
practicing.
Key Words: copies,
traces, follows, react,
reproduce, responds
Mechanism (basic proficiency): Examples: Use a

This is the intermediate stage in personal
learning a complex skill. Learned computer. Repair a
responses have become habitual leaking faucet. Drive a
and the movements can be car.
performed with some confidence
and proficiency. Key Words:
assembles, calibrates,
constructs, dismantles,
displays, fastens,
fixes, grinds, heats,
manipulates,
measures, mends,
mixes, organizes,
sketches.
Examples: Maneuvers
a car into a tight
parallel parking spot.
Operates a computer
Complex Overt Response quickly and accurately.
(Expert): The skillful performance Displays competence
of motor acts that involve while playing the
complex movement piano.
patterns. Proficiency is indicated
Key Words:
by a quick, accurate, and highly
assembles, builds,
coordinated performance,
calibrates, constructs,
requiring a minimum of
dismantles, displays,
energy. This category includes
fastens, fixes, grinds,
performing without hesitation, and
heats, manipulates,
automatic performance. For
measures, mends,
example, players are often utter
mixes, organizes,
sounds of satisfaction or
sketches.
expletives as soon as they hit a
tennis ball or throw a football, NOTE: The Key Words
because they can tell by the feel are the same as
of the act what the result will Mechanism, but will
produce. have adverbs or
adjectives that indicate
that the performance is
quicker, better, more
accurate, etc.
Adaptation: Skills are well Examples: Responds

developed and the individual can effectively to
modify movement patterns to fit unexpected
special requirements. experiences. Modifies
instruction to meet the
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.
Examples: Constructs
a new theory. Develops
a new and
comprehensive training
Origination: Creating new programming. Creates
movement patterns to fit a a new gymnastic
particular situation or specific routine.
problem. Learning outcomes
emphasize creativity based upon Key Words: arranges,
highly developed skills. builds, combines,
composes, constructs,
creates, designs,
initiate, makes,
originates.
Other Psychomotor Domain

Ta x o n o m i e s
As mentioned earlier, the committee did not produce a
compilation for the psychomotor domain model, but others
have. The one discussed above is by Simpson (1972). There
are two other popular versions by Dave (1970) and Harrow
(1972):
Dave (1975):
Category Example and Key Words (verbs)
Imitation — Examples: Copying a work of art.

Observing and Performing a skill while observing a
patterning behavior demonstrator.
after someone else.
Performance may be Key Words: copy, follow, mimic,

of low quality. repeat, replicate, reproduce, trace
Manipulation — Examples: Being able to perform a

Being able to skill on one's own after taking
perform certain lessons or reading about it. Follows
actions by memory instructions to build a model.
or following Key Words: act, build, execute,
instructions. perform
Examples: Working and reworking

Precision — something, so it will be “just right.”
Refining, becoming Perform a skill or task without
more exact. assistance. Demonstrate a task to a
Performing a skill beginner.
within a high degree
of precision Key Words: calibrate, demonstrate,
master, perfectionism
Examples: Combining a series of

skills to produce a video that
Articulation — involves music, drama, color,
Coordinating and sound, etc. Combining a series of
adapting a series of skills or activities to meet a novel
actions to achieve requirement.
harmony and internal
consistency. Key Words: adapt, constructs,
combine, creates, customize,
modifies, formulate
Naturalization — Examples: Maneuvers a car into a

Mastering a high tight parallel parking spot. Operates
level performance a computer quickly and accurately.
until it become Displays competence while playing
second-nature or the piano. Michael Jordan playing
natural, without basketball or Nancy Lopez hitting a
needing to think golf ball.
much about it.
Key Words: create, design,
develop, invent, manage, naturally
Harrow (1972):
Category Example and Key Words (verbs)
Reflex Movements — Examples: instinctive

Reactions that are not response
learned, such as a
involuntary reaction Key Words: react, respond
Fundamental Examples: perform a simple

Movements — Basic task
movements such as Key Words: grasp an object,
walking, or grasping. throw a ball, walk
Perceptual Abilities — Examples: track a moving

Response to stimuli such object, recognize a pattern

as visual, auditory,
kinesthetic, or tactile Key Words: catch a ball, draw
discrimination. or write
Physical Abilities Examples: gain strength, run

(fitness) — Stamina that a marathon
must be developed for
further development such Key Words: agility, endurance,
as strength and agility. strength
Examples: Using an
advanced series of integrated
Skilled movements — movements, perform a role in a
Advanced learned stage play or play in a set of
movements as one would series in a sports game.
find in sports or acting.
Key Words: adapt, constructs,
creates, modifies
Nondiscursive Examples: Express one's self

communication — Use by using movements and
effective body language, gestures
such as gestures and Key Words: arrange,
facial expressions. compose, interpretation
Next Steps
Introduction
The Three Domains of Learning
Revised Taxonomy of the Cognitive Domain
Original Cognitive Domain
Cognitive Process and Levels of Knowledge Matrix
SOLO Taxonomy
Affective Domain
Psychomotor Domain
Learning Strategies: Using Bloom's Taxonomy
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.
Dave, R.H. (1970). Psychomotor levels in Developing and

Writing Behavioral Objectives, pp.20-21. R.J. Armstrong, ed.
Tucson, Arizona: Educational Innovators Press.
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.
Notes
Updated January 12, 2015. Created June 5, 1999.
Find out more about me (copyright, APA formatting, etc).~ A Big Dog, Little Dog and Knowledge Jump Production ~ Email me at donclark@nwlink.com ~ by Donald Clark

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4/7/2021 Bloom's Taxonomy: The Psychomotor Domain

The psychomotor domain (Simpson, 1972) includes physical

The seven major categories are listed from the simplest

Example and Key Words

Perception (awareness): The Examples: Detects

the forks on a forklift

Key Words: chooses,

Set: Readiness to act. It includes Examples: Knows and

Key Words: begins,

reacts, shows, states,

Mechanism (basic proficiency): Examples: Use a

Adaptation: Skills are well Examples: Responds

needs of the learners.

Key Words: adapts,

Other Psychomotor Domain

Category Example and Key Words (verbs)

Imitation — Examples: Copying a work of art.

Performance may be Key Words: copy, follow, mimic,

Manipulation — Examples: Being able to perform a

Examples: Working and reworking

Examples: Combining a series of

Naturalization — Examples: Maneuvers a car into a

Category Example and Key Words (verbs)

Reflex Movements — Examples: instinctive

Fundamental Examples: perform a simple

Perceptual Abilities — Examples: track a moving

Response to stimuli such object, recognize a pattern

Physical Abilities Examples: gain strength, run

Nondiscursive Examples: Express one's self

The Three Domains of Learning

Revised Taxonomy of the Cognitive Domain

Original Cognitive Domain

Cognitive Process and Levels of Knowledge Matrix

Learning Strategies: Using Bloom's Taxonomy

Bloom, B.S. (Ed.). Engelhart, M.D., Furst, E.J., Hill, W.H.,

Dave, R.H. (1970). Psychomotor levels in Developing and

Harrow, A. (1972) A Taxonomy of Psychomotor Domain: A

Simpson E.J. (1972). The Classification of Educational

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