Short-term retention of simple motor responses: Similarity of prior and succeeding responses.

Abstract

Investigated interference effects on the recall accuracy of a standard motor response as a function of the similarity of prior and interpolated responses, in 3 experiments with 54 undergraduates. S executed 2 blind linear movements of controlled length and recalled 1 of them. In Exp. I and II, S was informed which movement to recall after both had been executed. In Exp. III, S was informed which movement was to be repeated before either was executed. Standard recall error was observed to be increasingly in the direction of the interfering movement paired with the standard, and pre- and postcuing of the recall requirement did not produce differential magnitude or patterns of response error. Results are consistent with the hypothesis of memory trace interaction proposed by R. L. Pepper and L. M. Herman (see record). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)