Joseph B. Oxendine

Effect of Mental and Physical Practice on the Learning of Three Motor Skills

Abstract Three separate experiments involving (a) the pursuit rotor, (b) a soccer kick for accuracy, and (c) a modified jump shot, were conducted in three Philadelphia junior high schools to investigate the effect of different schedules of mental and physical practice on the learning and retention of three motor tasks. Seventh grade boys (N = 212) served as subjects in the study. In each experiment four groups practiced for seven successive school days. Three of the groups followed schedules which included different proportions of mental and physical practice, while one group engaged in physical practice only. Findings from the three experiments led to the conclusions that: up to 50% of the practice time (or trials) in mental practice can be as effective as 100% of the time in physical practice; for subjects within the normal intelligence range, IQ scores are not indicative of ones ability to benefit from mental practice; seventh grade boys respond favorably and conscientiously to the suggestion of menta...

Effects of Task Difficulty on Transfer Performance on Rotary Pursuit.

The effects of task difficulty on transfer performance in a perceptual-motor tracking task were investigated. Five groups of Ss (ns = 15) practiced 45 30-sec. trials with 30-sec. rests on a pursuit-rotor tracking task at 5 levels of difficulty, 30, 40, 45, 50, and 60 rpm. 48 hr. later, all Ss practiced at 45 rpm. The results showed that the extreme transfer groups (30 and 60 rpm) were significantly poorer than the central transfer groups (40, 45, and 50 rpm) on the first five trials of the second session but after 9 blocks of 5 trials, performance was similar. The roles of perceptual, motor, and strategy factors in transfer are discussed.

Generality and Specificity in the Learning of Fine and Gross Motor Skills

Abstract This study was designed to determine the degree of generality and specificity in the learning of four motor skills. Forty junior high school students practiced mirror tracing, a pencil maze, disc tossing, and a hopscotch-type skill. Each of the skills was practiced for a five-day period. The findings generally support the concept of specificity in the learning and performance of skills. However, low correlation were found between disc-tossing performance and proficiency in the skills of hopscotch and mirror-tracing. General IQ scores and point-hour ratios showed no relationship to abilities to learn these skills.

Effect of Different Lengths of Practice Periods on the Learning of a Motor Skill

Abstract Three groups of junior high school boys learned the skill of mirror tracing on different practice schedules. All groups practiced two days per week for five days. One group practiced two circuits, the second group practiced five circuits, and the third group practiced eight circuits, on each practice day. Long practice periods proved advantageous during the early stages of the learning process. After the third practice period, however, groups using short practice periods improved just as much as groups using longer practices. A significant positive correlation was found between general intelligence scores and performance in the mirror tracing skill.

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.