CONTEXTUAL INTERFERENCE EFFECTS IN LEARNING NOVEL MOTOR-SKILLS

The present study investigated the generalizability of contextual inte rference effects by extending previous laboratory and field research t o novel movements controlled by different motor programs. 30 men and 3 3 women learned novel throwing and kicking tasks, practicing with bloc ked, serial, or random schedules. The subjects practiced the tasks fou r days a week for two weeks and then were given a postest. One week la ter subjects were given a retention test. Significant improvements in performance were found for all groups for both tasks; however, a signi ficant effect for practice condition was found only for the throwing t ask during retention, for which the random practice schedule led to be tter learning than the blocked and the serial practice. These findings suggest that the blocked, serial, and random practice methods could b e effectively used for tasks controlled by different motor programs bu t must be practiced in the same teaching session, without expecting on e to be more effective in learning than any other.