The Influence of Reminder Trials on Contextual Interference Effects

Abstract

Two experiments investigated the proposition of the elaboration explanation for contextual interference that more than one task is present in working memory when multiple tasks are practiced in a random schedule but that only one task is present in working memory when multiple tasks are practiced in a blocked schedule. Three motor tasks were performed as fast as possible in either a random or blocked practice schedule. At the end of practice, a reminder trial for each task was either given or not given. Acquisition performance was slower for the random practice conditions than for the blocked practice conditions. Retention performance was faster for the random practice conditions than for the blocked practice condition that did not receive a reminder trial for each task. Importantly, performance differences were not found between the random practice conditions and the blocked practice condition that did receive a reminder trial for each task. A blocked practice condition with a beneficial acquisition and reminder task order pairing performed faster during both acquisition and retention than a comparable random practice condition. Reminder trials can facilitate detailing of task characteristics, and their effectiveness is determined by the elapsed time and number of intervening tasks during acquisition and retention.

Principles derived from the study of simple skills do not generalize to complex skill learning

“…B. Shea & Titzer, 1993;. Even though there is some support for all of the proposed hypotheses (for a review, see Magill & Hall, 1990), it is still unclear which explanation is the most viable.…”

“…The important point is that although task complexity is a multidimensional construct that is hard to quantify across a wide range of tasks, this quantification problem should not preclude making more qualitative judgments of task complexity, so that we could conclude with reasonable certainty that a ski simulator task, for example, that requires several days of practice to develop moderate levels of skill is initially more complex than typical barrier-knockdown tasks or sequential keypress tasks in which performance asymptotes are sometimes achieved in as little as 54 trials (e.g., Limons & Shea, 1988;J. B. Shea & Morgan, 1979;J. B. Shea & Titzer, 1993).…”

Learning a Motor Skill: Effects of Blocked Versus Random Practice a Review

“…He concluded that the worse performance after blocked practice, compared to random practice, might result from retroactive inhibition. Shea and Titzer (1993) examined the influence of reminder trials on contextual interference. Three motor tasks were performed under a random or blocked schedule, with either one reminder trial or none for each task at the end of the practice session.…”

The Effect of a Combined Practice Course of Mental and Physical Practice with Systematic Increase in Contextual Interference on Learning a Kata Skill

“…The elaborativeprocessing hypothesis holds that random practice forces the learner into more elaborate processing, such as intertask comparisons and the embellishment of task-relevant information (8)(9)(10). More elaborate information processing is thought to result in more comprehensive and readily retrievable memory traces.…”