Practice Variability and Transfer of a Racket Skill

Abstract

This study used a forehand hitting task to explore the effect of racket variability on ‘out of range’ transfer. 48 11-yr.-old girls were randomly assigned to four treatment groups of Random Variability, Blocked Variability, Specific, and Control. The experimental groups had 32 trials for 4 successive days after which all groups were tested on 4 transfer conditions. Retention tests were given after 1, 4, and 8 days and the data were examined for treatment, range, and occasion effects. Analysis showed the superiority of practice over no practice, variable over specific practice, and random over blocked variability for transfer with two ‘out of range’ dimensions. Accuracy decayed between the transfer tests. These results are consistent with schema theory, and it is recommended that physical education teachers should focus variable practice on task dimensions that are new to their classes.