3 groups of 10 subjects made and recalled a linear arm-positioning movement after a 10-min. retention interval. One of the groups made and recalled four similar movements immediately prior to the last movement (a Brown-Peterson proactive design) and another learned all five movements and then recalled them in reverse order after the retention interval. The control group made and recalled only one movement. Significant forgetting was evident for all groups in terms of absolute error, but there was no significant difference between the groups in either absolute, constant, or variable errors.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AscoliK. M., & SchmidtR. A.Proactive interference in short-term memory. Research Quarterly, 1970, 41, 432–438.
2.
BrownJ.Some tests of the decay theory of immediate memory. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1958, 10, 12–21.
3.
BurwitzL.Proactive interference and directed forgetting in short-term motor memory. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1974, 102, 799–805.
4.
CraftJ. L.A two-process theory for the short-term retention of motor responses. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1973, 98, 196–202.
5.
DickinsonJ., & HigginsN.Release from proactive and retroactive interference in motor short-term memory. Journal of Motor Behavior, 1977, 9, 61–66.
6.
DuncanC. P., & UnderwoodB. J.Retention of transfer in motor learning after 24 hours and 14 months. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1953, 46, 445–452.
7.
HicksR. E., & CohnD. M.Lack of proactive inhibition in a. psychomotor task at two retention intervals. Journal of Motor Behavior, 1975, 7, 101–104.
8.
MontagueW. E., & HillixW. A.Intertrial interval and proactive interference in short-term memory. Canadian Journal of Psychology, 1968, 22, 73–78.
9.
PetersonL. R., & PetersonM. J.Short-term retention of individual verbal items. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1959, 58, 193–198.
10.
SchmidtR. A., & AscoliK. M.Intertrial intervals and motor short term memory. Research Quarterly, 1970, 41, 432–438.
11.
StelmachG. E.Prior positioning responses as a factor in short-term retention of a simple motor task. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1969, 81, 523–526.
12.
WilliamsI. D.The effects of practice and prior learning on motor memory. Journal of Motor Behavior, 1971, 3, 205–212.
