title: Differential transfer benefits of increased practice for constant, blocked, and serial practice schedules.
abstract: The effects of practice schedule and amount of practice on the development of the generalized motor program (GMP) and on parameter estimation were investigated. Participants (N = 108) practiced the same relative timing but different absolute durations of a multisegment timing task. Practice schedules (constant, blocked, or serial) were crossed with amounts of practice (low and high). Inclusion of a constant practice condition allowed the authors to investigate the variability of practice prediction. Participants practiced the same proportional durations in a serial or a blocked schedule, which enabled the authors to examine contextual interference. A constant practice schedule enhanced GMP performance when task parameters remained the same, but varied practice schedules were beneficial when task parameters changed. A serial as opposed to a blocked practice schedule was superior when the performance of a task governed by a different GMP was required. Increased practice led to a consolidated task representation that was unavailable for updating.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610-0164, USA. cgiuffri@hp.ufl.edu
authors.forename: C lare G
authors.initials: Cl
authors.lastname: Giuffrida
authors.forename: John  B
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shea
authors.forename: Jeffrey T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Fairbrother
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors