Increasing Contextual Interference Combined with Faded Feedback: An Examination of Additive Effect for Motor Learning

Abstract

Practice scheduling and augmented feedback are important factors that influence motor learning. Previous studies found that increasing contextual interference (ICI) practice and faded feedback (FF) are the learning variables. However, beneficial effect of combining these two variables on motor learning is still unclear. Thus, this study was designed to examine the additive effect for motor learning by combining the increasing contextual interference practice with faded feedback. Forty adults were randomly assigned into four groups: Random-all feedback, random-FF, ICI-all feedback, and ICI-FF groups. Sequential relative timing movement was utilized as an experimental task. One hundred and eight trails were performed in the acquisition phase. Twenty four hours later, twelve trails in the retention test were completed. The obtained results were as follows: (1) AE (absolute error) was significantly different in blocks during acquisition phase. (2) For retention test, AE and E (total variability) were not significantly different between the group combined ICI practice with all feedback and the group combined ICI with FF. Furthermore, AE of groups combined FF and all feedback with ICI practice were found to be significantly lower than that of groups combined FF and all feedback with random practice. In conclusion, no additive effect for motor learning was found when combined increasing contextual interference practice with faded feedback.