Contextual Interference Effects with Two Tasks

Abstract

The present study was intended to test whether the standard contextual interference effect would be observed when only two patterns were practiced in blocked or random schedules of multisegment movement tasks rather than three patterns which is the norm. In line with the basic effect, Blocked learners' performance was closer to ideal during acquisition, but Random learners had smaller errors at 24-hr. retention. In addition, random learners had better recall of the details of the patterns they had practiced. Learners' predictions of retention performance did not match the group differences actually observed.