Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology

Abstract

Definition The changes in test performance attributed to practice with the test material(s) and/or prior exposure to test instruments, paradigms, or settings. Current Knowledge 1. Sources of Practice Effects Sources of practice effects include deliberate rehearsal, incidental learning, procedural learning, changes in an examinee’s conceptualization of a task, shift in strategy, or increased familiarity with the test-taking environment and/or paradigm (i.e., “test-wiseness”). 2. Practice and Learning Practice and repetition may affect memory by increasing encoding efficiency and enhancing recall from memory storage. The temporal distribution of practice conditions has been found to affect learning and recall. Generally, distributed practice (i.e., multiple practice sessions which are widely spaced between initial learning and test phases) is more effective than massed practice (i.e., practice which is concentrated into a single session or multiple closely spaced sessions) in facilitating...