The post knowledge of results interval : effects of interpolated activity on skill learning

The present study examined the effect of interpolated post knowledge of results interval activity on the learning rate of a motor skill. Theoretically, interpolated activity should restrict and/or interfere with information processing operations occurring in the post- KR interval. Such a constraint upon the learner should impair the learning rate of a motor skill.

Eighty right-handed male and female students served as subjects for this study. Prior to the first day of testing each subject was randomly assigned to one of the four post-KR interval interpolated activity groups, with the restriction that each group have 10 males and l0 females. For the purpose of the present study the following activities differentiated the four groups: (a) Stroop Color Word Test, (b) Vowel Cancelling Test, (c) Fitts Tapping Test, and (d) Rest. All subjects attempted a trial on the McCloy Blocks Test of Multiple Response (1942), received knowledge of results (KR), and then engaged in the assigned post-KR interval activity for 25 seconds before attempting another trial on the criterion blocks task. The testing procedure (Trialn-KR-Interpolated Activity-Trial to until the subject completed three consecutive errorless trials in 35 seconds or less on the McCloy Blocks Test of Multiple Response (1942). The interresponse interval was a constant 30 seconds for all trials.

The total number of trials required to reach the objective of the criterion task was recorded by the experimenter. In addition, movement error (incorrect block selection) and movement time (time in seconds to either commit an error or complete the sequence) was recorded by the experimenter. A one-way analysis of variance was used to analyze this data. Performance measures were obtained by the experimenter on the post-KR interval activities in order to verify the attention demands of these tasks. The Pearson product moment correlation technique was utilized to determine if a statistical relationship existed between performance levels on the interpolated activities and the criterion task.

The results indicated that interpolated post-KR interval activity did not differentially affect the learning rate of a highly cognitive motor skill (p > .05). The results also revealed no statistically significant relationship between performance on the criterion and interpolated post-KR interval tasks. In view of the centrality of the KR informational processing perspective to current theoretical positions concerning the motor learning process, the present results suggest the need for a more thorough investigation of the role of KR in hypothesis selection and evaluation during the post-KR interval.