Biomaterial Database

Effects of blocked versus random practice by mentally retarded subjects on learning a novel skill. 1989

R J Heitman, and W F Gilley

Department of Health, Physical Education, and Leisure Services, College of Education, University of South Alabama, Mobile 36688.

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of different practice conditions on mentally retarded subjects learning a novel task. 20 subjects with a mean IQ of 51.82 were randomly assigned to one of two practice conditions. The first group practiced at three different speeds (60, 30, and 15 rpm) on the pursuit rotor using a block arrangement in which each speed was practiced for five consecutive trials of 20 sec. duration before practicing at the next speed. The second group used random practice performing 15 trials of the pursuit rotor so three speeds were randomly distributed over the 15 trials. Both groups on the next day performed 15 trials of 20 sec. duration on the pursuit rotor at the transfer speed of 45 rpm. Analysis showed no significant differences among practice conditions which provided 10 min. of experience prior to test.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007858	Learning	Relatively permanent change in behavior that is the result of past experience or practice. The concept includes the acquisition of knowledge.	Phenomenography
D008607	Intellectual Disability	Subnormal intellectual functioning which originates during the developmental period. This has multiple potential etiologies, including genetic defects and perinatal insults. Intelligence quotient (IQ) scores are commonly used to determine whether an individual has an intellectual disability. IQ scores between 70 and 79 are in the borderline range. Scores below 67 are in the disabled range. (from Joynt, Clinical Neurology, 1992, Ch55, p28)	Disability, Intellectual,Idiocy,Mental Retardation,Retardation, Mental,Deficiency, Mental,Intellectual Development Disorder,Mental Deficiency,Mental Retardation, Psychosocial,Deficiencies, Mental,Development Disorder, Intellectual,Development Disorders, Intellectual,Disabilities, Intellectual,Disorder, Intellectual Development,Disorders, Intellectual Development,Intellectual Development Disorders,Intellectual Disabilities,Mental Deficiencies,Mental Retardations, Psychosocial,Psychosocial Mental Retardation,Psychosocial Mental Retardations,Retardation, Psychosocial Mental,Retardations, Psychosocial Mental
D011214	Practice, Psychological	Performance of an act one or more times, with a view to its fixation or improvement; any performance of an act or behavior that leads to learning.	Practice (Psychology),Practice, Psychology,Practicing, Psychological,Practicing, Psychology,Psychological Practice,Psychological Practicing,Psychology Practice,Psychology Practicing
D011597	Psychomotor Performance	The coordination of a sensory or ideational (cognitive) process and a motor activity.	Perceptual Motor Performance,Sensory Motor Performance,Visual Motor Coordination,Coordination, Visual Motor,Coordinations, Visual Motor,Motor Coordination, Visual,Motor Coordinations, Visual,Motor Performance, Perceptual,Motor Performance, Sensory,Motor Performances, Perceptual,Motor Performances, Sensory,Perceptual Motor Performances,Performance, Perceptual Motor,Performance, Psychomotor,Performance, Sensory Motor,Performances, Perceptual Motor,Performances, Psychomotor,Performances, Sensory Motor,Psychomotor Performances,Sensory Motor Performances,Visual Motor Coordinations
D011897	Random Allocation	A process involving chance used in therapeutic trials or other research endeavor for allocating experimental subjects, human or animal, between treatment and control groups, or among treatment groups. It may also apply to experiments on inanimate objects.	Randomization,Allocation, Random
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293	Adolescent	A person 13 to 18 years of age.	Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths
D014163	Transfer, Psychology	Change in learning in one situation due to prior learning in another situation. The transfer can be positive (with second learning improved by first) or negative (where the reverse holds).	Transfer (Psychology),Transfer of Learning,Transfer of Training,Learning Transfer,Psychology Transfer,Psychology Transfers,Training Transfer,Transfers (Psychology),Transfers, Psychology