Long-term retention of learned skills: a review of the literature.

Abstract : The ability to retain a learned skill or habit over extended time periods is a problem which has, as yet, not been too thoroughly explored. Reviewing those articles which seem to relate either directly or peripherally to long-term retention of learned motor behavior indicates that the number of variables of possible importance is quite large, and that in general only limited research has been conducted with any one of these given variables. The variables appear to fall into four general classes: those dealing with the type of task, those concerned with learning p rameters, those concerned with retention interval parameters, and those concerned with recall parameters. Research under each category is reviewed and commented on, and suggestions are made that certain variables (such as task organization and the scoring method used) should be considered as key variables in any research program dealing with the long-term retention of skills. (Author)