Orienting Task Effects on the Retention of an Intentionally Learned Linear Arm Movement

Abstract

The present study investigated the effects of an orienting task on both the immediate and delayed recall of a linear arm movement. All 60 college and graduate students were given the instructions to learn an experimenter-defined target position; however, some subjects were presented additional non-target positions interpolated between presentations of the target position. One group made verbal estimates of the distance between the target and non-target positions, another group made no estimates concerning target and non-target positions, while a third group was presented only the target positions. The group making the verbal estimates was most accurate after an immediate and a 10-min. filled retention interval.