Massed versus Distributed Practice in Complex Skill Acquisition

Abstract

A training sequence on a complex video research task was distributed over 10 days or massed within two days. Measures of fatigue and confidence were taken. A final test battery given 1 week after acquisition consisted of retention tests, a test of resistance to interference, and a test of transfer. Trainees in the Distributed condition performed better throughout. Massed and Distributed trainees showed moderate levels of fatigue and did not differ from each other. Differences in confidence could not account for the results. Theories based on massing simple task acquisition within an hour are discussed as a framework for understanding and reducing suppression caused by massing complex tasks within days.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Baddeley

A.D.

Longman

D.J.A.

(1978). The influence of length and frequency of training session on the rate of learning to type. Ergonomics, 21(8), 627–635.

Donchin

(1989). The learning strategies project: Introductory remarks. Acta Psychologica, 71, 1–15.

Glenberg

A.M.

(1979). Component-levels theory of the effects of spacing of repetitions on recall and recognition. Memory & Cognition, 7, 95–112.

Glenberg

A.M.

Lehmann

T.S.

(1980). Spacing repitions over 1 week. Memory & Cognition, 8(6), 528–538.

Green

R.L.

(1989). Spacing effects in memory: Evidence for a two-process account. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 15(3), 371–377.

Johnston

A.N.

Regian

J.W.

Shebilske

(in press). Aviation psychology: developing theory and extending practice..

Karni

Tanne

Rubinstein

B.S.

Askenasi

J.J.M.

Sagi

(1992). No dreams-no memory: The effect of REM sleep deprivation on learning a new perceptual skill. Society for Neuroscience Abstracts, 22, 387.

Mane

A.M.

Donchin

(1989). The Space Fortress Game. Acta Psychologica, 71, 17–22.

Schmidt

R.A.

Bjork

R.A.

(1992). New conceptualizations of practice: Common principles in three paradigms suggest new concepts for training. Psychological Science, 3(4), 207–217.

10.

Shebilske

W.L.

Arthur

Jordan

J.A.

Regian

J.W.

(1992). Proceedings of the 37th Annual Meeting of the Human Factors Society.

11.

Smith

S.M.

Rothkopf

E.Z.

(1984). Contextual enrichment and distribution of practice in the classroom. Cognition & Instruction, 3, 341–358.

12.

Wilkinson

R.T.

Houghton

(1982). Field test of arousal: A portable reaction timer with data storage. Human Factors, 41, 487–493.