Release From Proactive and Retroactive Interference in Motor Short-Term Memory

Abstract

Six groups of 12 subjects participated in an experiment designed to test whether proactive and retroactive interference could be developed in a linear ' arm-positioning task. The experiment also investigated the possibility of a release from these interfering sources as a result of a change in the direction of movement. The results supported the hypotheses that these forms of interference are produced by interpolated or preceding movement experience, and that a release from interference can occur with a change of direction of movement. The results were interpreted as producing an alternative method for identifying relevant encoding characteristics in motor short-term memory.