This study examined the effect of similar versus dissimilar retroactive interference on the mental practice effects for performing a novel motor skill. Research has shown that mental practice of a motor task can interfere with learning and performance of the task; however, little is known about how different retroactive interference activities affect mental practice effects. 90 volunteers ages 18 to 51 years (M = 26.8, SD = 9.6) completed a pre-test and post-test of 10 sets of five trials of a throwing task with the non-preferred hand. In the practice phase, participants mentally practiced the throwing task and then mentally practiced a task that was similar, dissimilar, or completed an unrelated reading task. Performance for all groups improved from pre- to post-test; however, there were no differences in increases for the three groups. The findings suggest that mental practice of similar and dissimilar tasks produced no significant interference in performance. © Perceptual and Motor Skills 2011.
CITATION STYLE
Kremer, P., Spittle, M., & Malseed, S. (2011). Retroactive interference and mental practice effects on motor performance: A pilot study. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 113(3), 805–814. https://doi.org/10.2466/05.11.23.PMS.113.6.815-814
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