what is contextual interference
-CI is the interference during practice that can lead to better skill performance while learning. Though higher level of CI leads to poorer performance, it leads to better retention and transfer of skill
history
- prior to Battig, it was thought that interference led to neg results
- “Intertask Interference”
- argued that when a task is difficult, or with high interference, retention is greater over time
what does high interference mean
High interference = decrease in performance
BUT better retention over time
history shea and morgan
- provided evidence that this general principle could be applied to motor skill learning situations as well
- learning motor skills experiment
- first to introduce blocked and random practice
results
- 10 mins after= blocked practice was better
- 10 days after= random practice was better
what did they find
- high level of contextual interference was two-fold
1. Practice schedule with high levels of CI to better retention - high CI increases the adaptability to different performance situations
three categories
- Task characteristics
- Subjects characteristics
- Transfer and retention
task characteristics
- Lab
a) multi-segment movement task
b) anticipation timing test
c) computer based tracking or maze tracing
d) rotary pursuit task
- the contextual interference effect was only demonstrated in some of the experiments depending on what aspect of the task was varied - Non lab
a) bean bag tossing
b) badminton serves
- support that mixed blocked and random led to better retention
what is the same
- uses generalized motor programs from Schmidt’s schema theory
- minimal to no effort
- less effortful processing
what is different
- CI effect was found
- switching between motor programs increases effortful processing
subject characteristics
a) age
- limited research on how age affects the Ci effect
- however, support that mix practice schedule is better for children
b) experience
- high CI has greater benefits for more experienced performers but will pose a problem for beginners
- Gentile’s taxonomy
- stages of learning model proposes that different types of practice conditions benefit open skill learning
c) cognitive disability
- research is very limited
- the benefits from past studies guide practitioners in scheduling motor skill practice
d) learning style
- stronger CI effect found for reflective learning style than impulsive learning style
retention and transfer
because high levels of CI leads to poor performance at first, follow up is important
CI effect explanation
- learning processes influenced
1. Elaboration benefit explanation
2. Action plan reconstruction view
3. A retroactive interference view
elaboration benefit explanation
- high contextual interference processes skills in working memory
- comparing and contrasting
- multiple and variable encoding strategies evoke different pathways for the tasks leaning learned
- increased distinctiveness of skill and elaboration
- better retention and transfer due to the increase of possible retrieval routes and ability to separate and compare said skills
action plan reconstruction view
- high CI increases effortful processing of skill patterns
- prior to initiation of skill patterns individuals create an “action plan” to achieve the best response: motor program and additional task element info
- between repetitions the action plan is forgotten and the learner has to actively modify it
a retroactive interference view
downfalls of blocked practice: retention influenced by the way practice is organized through retroactive and proactive inhibition
- retroactive inhibition: influence performance of skills learned first in blocked practice
- proactive inhibition: influence performance of skills learned last in blocked practice
- retroactive info showed weaker retention abilities
- wright (1988) conducted experiments that showed lower retroactive interference did not always increase retention
many possibilities for acquisition
- each poses a slightly different explanation for acquisition
- focus is usually on retention and transfer of practiced skill instead of skill acquisition
- more research needed in order to come to a definitive explanation
random imagery practice
- interference can also be created cognitively
- utilized same components of CI
- led to just as much retention as did random physical practice
relationship with schema theory
- schema theory focused on amount of rehearsal and variability of practice for novel task transfer
- contextual interference focus on the practice structure and variability of practice related to learning retention and transfer
- both emphasize that variability of practice is important to learning
- relationship is said to still not be very clear
current study
- purpose: investigate the effects of blocked and random practice schedules on the performance accuracy, speed, temporal, evenness, and attitude of beginning band students in a group instructional setting.
results: no significant differences were found between blocked and random practice groups. At retention, random performed significantly faster
serial practice
-found serial performance similar to the random group
-can combine and still get that learning result
-it’s the lack of repetition in random-degrades short term but long term has an effect
Immediate testing and testing later (10 days)
what was the activity
cup stacking
1st partner: stack how ever you want to
2nd partner: stack according to color pattern shown on picture
next test: both partners stack cups according to color as shown on picture
-2nd partner should have done better
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Lecture 112
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Lecture 211
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Lecture 313
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Lecture 416
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Lecture 517
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Leture 66
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Lecture 714
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Lecture 815
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Lecture 910
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Lecture 1012
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Lecture 1115
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Lecture 1225
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Schema theory18
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Fitt's law14
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Hick's law11
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visional feedback19
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dynamical systems theory13
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contexual interference22
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specificity of practice22
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taxonomy29
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internal external focus of attention15
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especial skills16
