The Effects of Easy-To-Difficult, Difficult-Only, and Mixed-Difficulty Practice on Performance of Simulated Gunnery Tasks
Abstract
The purpose of this report is to compare the effects of practicing easy-todifficult, difficult-only, and randomly ordered, mixed-difficulty training exercises. The experimental task required tracking and shooting moving targets with TOPGUN, which is a tank-gunnery training device. Each of three groups of 20 undergraduates practiced three blocks of 36 exercises under one of three conditions: (1) easy-todifficult progression of exercises, (2) all difficult exercises, or (3) randomly ordered, mixed-difficulty exercises. All groups were tested on 36 randomly ordered, mixed-difficulty exercises immediately after training. Dependent variables were target hits, aiming error, and time to fire. Results were that (1) learning occurred during practice; (2) mean differences among the groups' test scores were not statistically significant; (3) the group that practiced the easy-to-difficult progression and the group that practiced the randomly ordered, mixed-difficulty exercises hit significantly greater percentages of easy targets during testing than did the group that practiced only difficult exercises; and (4) the group that practiced the easy to-difficult progression hit significantly greater percentages of difficult targets during testing than did the group that practiced the randomly ordered, mixed-difficulty exercises.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 1992
- Accession Number
- ADA251866
Entities
People
- Donald Ralph Lampton
- James P. Bliss
- John A. Boldovici
Organizations
- U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences