Retention of a Skill as a Function of Display/Hand Movement Ratio during Training
J. J. Lavery · Perceptual and Motor Skills · 1964
This experiment attempted to determine the effect on retention of varying the amount of information contained in knowledge of results (KR) and the cues inherent in a task. The literature suggests that precision of KR affects acquisition but not retention (McGuigan, 1959). Previous attempts to measure the effect of KR precision did not, however, vary the degree of information contained in the task itself. There is evidence that, with sufficient information in the task, retention is better when the KR precision is increased (Lavery, 1964). Thirty-six housewives from 21 to 35 yr. of age were Ss; 12 were trained under each gain condition for 120 trials (with KR) and then given 80 retention trials (without KR) on the first day and 120 additional retention trials 1 wk. later. The results showed no difference between groups on the first 80 retention trials on Day 1. The 2:1- and 1:1-ratio groups were clearly superior, however, to the 0.5:1-ratio group on the second retention series (F = 7.06 and 4.45, respectively; df = 1/22). Retention can be influenced by precision of KR if the degree of information in the task is great enough. Work is now under way to find out how this relationship depends upon inherent task information. The possibility of using this task to study retroactive inhibition is also being investigated.