The Effect of Model’s Skill Level and Frequency of Feedback on Learning a Simple Serial Aiming Task

The purpose of this research was to determine the effect of the model’s skill level and frequency of feedback on learning a simple serial aiming task. For this purpose, 48 female students aged 19 to 25 years old were selected as the sample. Based on pre-test movement times, they were divided into four groups of 12 subjects (expert model and 100% feedback, expert model and 50% feedback, novice model and 100% feedback, and novice model and 50% feedback). In the acquisition phase, the groups performed the serial aiming task 80 times according to specific instructions. The immediate retention test was conducted 15 minutes after completion of the acquisition phase, and the delayed retention test was conducted 24 hours later. The results of mixed analysis of variance with repeated measures on training blocks in the acquisition phase showed that the main effect of the model in both variables of movement time and spatial error were significant, and expert model observer groups had longer movement times and fewer spatial errors than other groups. The results of two-way analysis of variance in the immediate and delayed retention tests indicated that in both variables of movement time and spatial error, the main effect of the model is significant, but the main effect of the frequency of feedback is not meaningful. Comparing the means showed that the expert model observer groups had longer movement times and fewer spatial errors than other groups that observed novice models.