Comparison of constant and variable practice conditions on free-throw shooting.
The proposition that variable practice may be superior to constant practice even for consistent transfer situations was tested on a prototypical consistently performed skill, the basketball free throw. 94 participants were matched on free-throw shooting, then randomly assigned to one of four practice conditions, a Constant condition, i.e., at the free-throw line, and three Variable conditions. Under supervision participants practiced shooting free throws four days a week for three weeks. Three substantially different variable practice conditions produced significant improvement similar to that of constant practice on tests during each week of practice and on a delayed retention test. Consistent with the proposition, the most variable practice group performed as well as the other groups on the retention test despite lower practice performance.
Shoenfelt
Elizabeth L
EL
Department of Psychology, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green 42101, USA. betsy.shoenfelt@wku.edu
Snyder
Leslie A
LA
Maue
Allison E
AE
McDowell
C Patrick
CP
Woolard
Christopher D
CD
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills; D011214:Practice, Psychological; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D012153:Retention, Psychology; D014163:Transfer, Psychology