THE ROLE OF MENTAL PRACTICE IN DECREASING FORGETTING AFTER PRACTICING A GYMNASTICS MOTOR SKILL

Abstract

Parallel to processes of memory consolidation, forgetting is a functional mechanism thatallows the maintenance of relevant information or learning in memory. Practice conditioncan affect the forgetting rate, favouring or not memory consolidation. Physical practice hasbeen shown to be effective in decreasing forgetting, but the role of mental practice is notknown yet. Thus, in this study, we aimed to investigate the role of mental practice in theforgetting rate of a motor skill. Twenty-four participants with the mean age of 26.13 years (±3.04) of both genders were divided into three groups: (a) mental practice group (MG);physical practice group (PG) which practised the handstand skill either mentally orphysically, respectively, and (c) control group (CG) that did not practice the skill. Resultsshowed no difference between the forgetting rate of MG and PG. Also, they had forgettingrates lower than CG. Thus, it is suggested that mental practice is as effective as physicalpractice to decrease the forgetting rate of motor skills, favouring the maintenance of themovement representation in memory. Possibly, physical and mental practice conditions sharemechanisms that slow down forgetting processes.