Distribution of Practice in Motor Skill Acquisition: Learning and Performance Effects Reconsidered

TLDR

Recent reviews on distribution of practice in motor learning yield divergent conclusions; while massed practice consistently impairs performance, its effect on learning remains uncertain, with some arguing for a learning deficit and others finding no effect. The study aims to review the literature on distribution of practice in motor learning. The authors conduct a literature review of existing studies. Meta‑analysis shows that massed practice impairs both performance and learning when measured by absolute retention, confirming that distribution of practice benefits motor skill acquisition.

Abstract

Abstract Recent reviews about the effects of distribution of practice in motor learning have produced quite divergent conclusions. While there is agreement that massed practice depresses performance, the effect on learning has no firm consensus. One position is that massed practice depresses learning, although there are many that argue for no learning effect. In the present paper we review this literature. When distribution is considered in terms of the length of the inter-trial interval, there is strong evidence that massed practice depresses performance and learning (when learning is assessed by absolute retention measures). This conclusion was confirmed by the results of a meta-analysis. This finding is discussed relative to other literature on distribution of practice as well as some recent issues in motor learning.