Effects of Practice Distribution on Learning a Fine Motor Task

Abstract Sixty college men were given 35 trials of either distributed practice (DP) or massed practice (MP) (N = 30 per group) on a fine motor learning task, the foot tracking task. The study was designed to make a direct comparison between the two groups of the amount learned. While learning was significant for both groups, there was no difference in the amount learned between groups. As expected, performance was significantly better under DP; this was attributed to the temporary depressant effects of Ir resulting from MP. The present results are in general agreement with the findings of a number of recent learning studies on gross motor tasks; almost without exception they reported that practice distribution affected performance but not learning. Thus, the traditionally accepted belief that DP is superior to MP in motor learning is not supported by experimental evidence. These findings present practical implications for motor learning in terms of efficiency in the use of practice time.