Motor Learning without Demonstration of Physical Practice, under Two Conditions of Mental Practice

Abstract The learning of a gymnastic skill to a pass-or-fail criterion was measured in two groups of male university students. The prior learning treatment included directed mental practice for one group and undirected mental practice for the other. Results indicated that subjects without previous experience may learn gross body skills without physical practice and that mental practice without direction is superior to directed mental practice in the learning of gymnastic skills.