Effects of Relative Frequency of Knowledge of Results on Retention of a Motor Skill

The effects of relative frequency of knowledge of results on the retention of a motor skill was studied. Adams' theory (1971) contends that the perceptual trace of a criterion position gains on increment of strenth each time the feedback stimuli associated with the criterion position are experienced and that it is the strength of the perceptual trace that determines retention. Schmidt's theory (1975), however, suggests that the recognition schema is updated only on trials on which the feedback stimuli associated with the criterion position are experienced in conjunction with knowledge of results and that it is the precision of the recognition schema that determines retention. Two experiments were conducted. The results provided evidence contrary to Adams' theory. Schmidt's theory, however, was only partially supported.