A comparison of effects of constant and variable practice on motor learning

Presenter(s)

Ethan Newman

Abstract or Description

Ballet dancing, martial arts, painting, and countless other activities require much practice to master. However, not all practice is equal: some forms of practice are more effective than others. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of constant and variable practice. The task studied was similar to the well-known shuffleboard game. Here, the participant threw a virtual puck towards a narrow target line. The study featured two practice groups, one constant group that always aimed at the same target line, and one variable group that aimed at a different target line each throw. Each group performed a pretest on the first day of the study, followed by a practice session. A retention test was performed on the second day. Analyzing each group, several interesting patterns were revealed. In the first 3 blocks, the mean scores for each group were very similar. However, the constant group was generally faster to improve than the variable group during day 1. Interestingly, the constant group trended worse on day two, with the variable group performing better at the survey's end. These findings suggest that constant groups will improve faster than variable groups. In recalling skills, variable groups will perform better than constant groups; the variable group is also better able to adapt to modified tasks than the constant group. If rapid improvement is desired, constant practice may be best, while if long-term retention is targeted, variable practice is preferred. 

Mentor

Rajiv Ranganathan, Simon Cone