Movement Retrieval from Long-Term Memory: Physical versus Mental Rehearsal

Abstract

Despite references in the psychomotor literature regarding the use of rehearsal strategies in recovering movements from longer term memory, no significant difference between physical (overt) and mental (covert) rehearsal strategies for retrieving a complex dance movement over 30 min., 2 days, and 1 wk. were observed for 72 college women in beginning dance classes. Further, no rehearsal was as effective as either physical or mental rehearsal for retrieving dance movements for up to 1 wk. after original learning by these inexperienced dancers. The findings raise the possibility that other forms of retrieval than those already proposed are used to recover complex dance movements from longer term memory.