Variability of practice and transfer of training

Two experiments were conducted to test predictions, arising from Schmidt's (1975) schema theory of motor learning, related to the effect of variability of initial practice upon subsequent transfer to another task. Rapid linear timing movements were employed to operationally separate the recall and recognition schemata. Experiment 1 showed that training at two different movement times, when given in an appropriate order, facilitated the recall and recognition of a subsequent transfer movement-time task, but only when the criterion movement time was sufficiently outside the range of initial practice. Experiment 2 increased the number of training movement times beyond two, but no reliable transfer effect occurred, although the variable practice groups showed significantly reduction of movement error on the initial transfer trials in the absence of knowledge of results. Overall, the two experiments provided some initial support for Schmidt's schema theory of motor learning. Diane C. Shapiro is now at the Department of Physical Education, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90007.