Effect of overlearning on retention.

The effectiveness of overlearning in enhancing performance has been acknowledged by researchers within the training community for years. In spite of this general consensus, the empirical basis for this claim is often not clear. This article presents a meta-analysis of the effects of overlearning on retention. Results indicate that overlearning produces a significant effect on retention of moderate overall magnitude and that the effect of overlearning on retention is moderated by the degree of overlearning, type of task, and length of retention period