Emily H. Wughalter

The Effects of Contextual Interference on Females With Varied Experience in Open Sport Skills

Abstract The acquisition and transfer effects of contextual interference (Battig, 1979) were investigated on a coincidence anticipation task. The experimental task required subjects to make predictive judgements so that their responses coincided with the arrival of a light stimulus. Sixty females were selected from an activity questionnaire determining the extent of experience in similar tasks. One half were selected reporting no experience, and the remaining subjects had prior and present involvement in tasks requiring predictive judgements. Battigs (1979) conceptualization of memory was supported for experienced subjects in one transfer task. Experienced subjects who processed the acquisition tasks in high contextual interference (random order of presentation) performed significantly better than novice subjects in the same acquisition context. In addition, acquisition under a random sequence facilitated transfer to a novel task for experienced subjects as compared to acquisition under a constant order ...

Level of Expertise, Interpolated Activity and Contextual Interference Effects on Memory and Transfer

Effects of contextual interference on memory and transfer were investigated using tasks of coincident anticipation in which subjects had to predict the arrival time of a light stimulus. Female sport-skill experts were compared to less experienced subjects. A cognitive-motor interpolated activity was performed by one group of subjects, and this condition was compared with blocked and variable practice conditions. This study investigated the 1985 hypothesis of Lee and Magill that forgetting the cognitive processing steps in the performance of a task would facilitate retention. Analysis indicated some support of Battigs predictions mote at retention than transfer but clearly did not support Lee and Magills views on forgetting. Expertise was a significant factor in acquisition, retention, and transfer since sport experts responded with less error on almost all measures.

Effects of Contextual Interference and Conditions of Movement Task on Acquisition, Retention, and Transfer of Motor Skills by Women

This experiment was designed to investigate varying conditions of contextual interference within two different conditions of movement tasks during acquisition on the acquisition and retention of a computerized task and transfer to a functional skill. Performance of head movements was conducted under open- or closed-task conditions and with random or blocked schedules of practice. Analysis indicated that learning under the open-task condition resulted in better retention and transfer than the closed-task condition. It is suggested that increasing the within-trial variability in the open-task condition produced a contextual interference effect. In this regard, support for Battigs predictions is provided by the current findings in that the high variability present during the open-task condition was more beneficial for retention and transfer than the low variability present during the closed-task condition. Differences between random and blocked schedules of practice on the retention and transfer data were not statistically significant.

EFFECTS OF CONTEXTUAL INTERFERENCE AND RETENTION INTERVALS ON TRANSFER

The acquisition and transfer effects of contextual interference (Battig, 1979) were investigated with 54 female subjects over three retention intervals on a coincidence anticipation task. The experimental task involved predicting the arrival of a light at a predetermined intercept. A range effect was observed during both acquisition and transfer such that marked undershooting (early responses) was found for slower speeds and late responses were noted for faster speeds. As expected from prior work, responses under a blocked acquisition context (low contextual interference) were significantly more accurate and less variable than under a random context (high contextual interference). Significant improvement was found over-all from the first to the second block of trials. For multiple dependent measures there were no significant effects of retention interval by acquisition context. This ran counter to Battigs (1979) recommendation that the use of longer retention intervals would increase the effect of acquisition context on retention and intratask transfer. Recommendations are discussed for further investigations to observe the effects of long retention intervals on acquisition context.

Physical Activity, Physiological, and Psychomotor Performance: A Study of Variously Active Older Adult Men

Abstract This research examined varying levels of physical activity and psychomotor and physiological function in variously active older men. Very active, moderately active, and low active participants were tested on simple (SRT) and choice reaction time (CRT), coincidence-anticipation timing (CAT), and VO2max. No significant differences for age or height were found, although percentage of fat, and weight were statistically different. Active groups were leaner and lighter. VO2max was significantly different between groups, as physically active groups yielded greater values. SRT and CAT also yielded significantly different results with more active participants showing better performance. No between-groups significant differences resulted for CRT. Generally, increased levels of physical activity were related to superior physiological outcomes and improved psychomotor performance.

Effect of chair design on ratings of discomfort.

The purpose of this study was to determine if ratings of discomfort differ over time between two ergonomic chairs of the same approximate cost. Twenty participants from a metropolitan university sat on two types of ergonomic chairs for 90~minutes in each of two sessions while performing typing, reading, and writing tasks. Repeated measures three-way and two-way analyses of variance were used to examine the effect of the ergonomic chair design on rating of discomfort. Data were collected using the General Comfort Rating Scale (GCRS) and the Body Part Discomfort Rating Scale (BPDRS), which were administered at 0, 30, 60, and 90 minute marks of each session. The results revealed: 1) discomfort was not related to the type of chair, 2) discomfort increased over time, 3) discomfort was influenced by the task performed while sitting, 4) discomfort level decreased when switching between different chairs, and 5) most discomfort was reported in the low back and lower arms.

Transgressions and Transcendence: Surpassing Disciplinary Boundaries

We shall some day be heeded, and when we shall have our amendment to the Constitution of the United States, everybody will think it was always so, just exactly as many young people believe that all the privileges, all the freedom, all the enjoyments which a woman now possesses always were hers (Susan B. Anthony on February 15, 1894). (Sherr, 1995, p. xi)

The Personality Characteristics of Internationally Ranked Female Tennis Players as Measured by the Cattell 16 PF

This study was undertaken to add to understanding of the profile of the female athlete both psychologically and physiologically. 16 internationally ranked female professional tennis players were administered the Cattell 16 Personality Factor (16 PF) Questionnaire. When age was controlled in the research design (under 27 vs over 28 years old), the younger players were significantly more intelligent and experimental than the older group. When rank was controlled (above 50, below 50), no significant results were reported. Compared to the norms for the general female population, the tennis pros were significantly more reserved, more intelligent, more suspicious, and less pretentious. More information is needed to study intragroup comparisons, as well as comparisons with nonelite female athletes and elite male athletes.

Effect of Graphic Input Device and Repetition on Wrist Posture

This study investigated the Wacom Intuos2 pen and tablet and/or standard Microsoft mouse on wrist posture of 20 experienced users. Wrist posture, measured by extension, flexion, ulnar, and radial deviation, was compared across three independent variables: repetition (repetitive or alternative), input device (mouse and/or pen), and session (session 1 and session 2). Devices were used during a graphical computer task, which was repeated or alternated for two 30 minute test sessions. Neutral wrist range was defined within 15 degrees of 0 in any direction. Input device group interacted with session to significantly impact wrist extension, F (3, 16) = 9.42, p<.001 and ulnar deviation, F (3, 16) = 3.23, p<.05. When analyzing repetition while using the mouse, less extension was found than the pen. Both devices required movement outside the defined neutral range for extension. A significant repetition by session interaction effect for wrist flexion was revealed: F (1, 16) = 6.83, p<.05. The repetitive group revealed little to no flexion during the first session which was statistically different than the alternative group; both groups were inside the neutral range.

Forgetting and Its Effect on Contextual Interference

Contextual interference effects (Battig, 1979) on memory and transfer were investigated using coincidence anticipation tasks in which subjects had to predict the arrival time of a light stimulus. A cognitive-motor interpolated activity was performed by one group of subjects and this condition was compared to blocked and random practice conditions. This study investigated the hypothesis of Lee & Magill (1985) that forgetting the cognitive processing steps in performance of a task would benefit retention. Results are discussed and recommendations for future work suggested.