Retention of practice effects on simple reaction time for peripheral and central visual fields

Abstract

Previous researchers reported that EMG Reaction Time (RT) for a key press in peripheral and central visual fields decreases with practice. The practice effects on the RT for peripheral visual field transferred to the RT for the central visual field, and vice versa. The present study investigated whether practice effects on the RT for peripheral and central visual fields and the corresponding transfer effects lasted 3 wk. or not. 16 male subjects were divided into two groups, one practicing using peripheral vision, the other practicing using central vision. Each group practiced RT tasks for 3 wk. 3 wk. after practice terminated, the practice effects and the transfer effects were maintained as a significant decrease in RT was found over the 3-wk. retention interval, suggesting that once the neural correlates of responding quickly are improved, the improved performances are remarkably stable for at least 3 wk.