Effect of Progressively Changing Practice Schedules on the Learning of a Motor Skill

Abstract Fifty-three college students practiced the skill of mirror tracing on three different schedules. For one group the length of each succeeding practice period increased. Another group practiced on a schedule in which each succeeding practice period became shorter. A third group used constant units of practice throughout the learning period. During the experimental period all groups completed the same amount of practice. At the end of the learning period, the group using constant units of practice performed best, followed in order by the increasing-practice group and by the decreasing-practice group.