RETENTION OF SKILLED SEARCH AFTER 9 YEARS

Retention of skilled search after a nine-year period of nonuse was inv estigated in letter and digit tasks. The letter task involved search f or one of six consistently mapped letter targets in a set of two, thre e, or four letters. The digit task required subjects to indicate the l argest digit in a display of two, three, or four digits (one through n ine). In the digit task the digits 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 could serve as ta rgets or distracters, depending on the other items in the display. Res ults indicated only minimal loss of speed and no loss in visual search rates after the nine-year interval. In addition, the savings were equ ivalent for the two tasks in spite of the difference in stimulus-respo nse consistency.