The effects of mastery training and explicit feedback on task design preference in a vocational setting

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of mastery training and explicit feedback on the selection behavior of two individuals with severe mental retardation across two different vocational task designs. The two design options were (a) a site-based (traditional) approach, and (b) a more efficient motion-economy based approach. The site-based design was developed from workshop-standard task analyses. The motion-economy design was developed by re-configuring the site-based design using principles of motion economy and resulted in less distance movement required for task completion. The study was comprised of four assessment phases: (a) no experience (i.e., participant had no experience with either site-based or motion-economy based designs), (b) after training (i.e., participant was trained to criterion level on both design options), (c) training and timer, and (d) training, timer, and work incentives. Selection behavior was affected by task efficiency, only when efficiency was made more salient by pairing task cues with work incentives.