Is errorless learning an effective strategy for a procedural memory task?

Donaghey, Claire L. (2008) Is errorless learning an effective strategy for a procedural memory task? D Clin Psy thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

Errorless learning has been demonstrated to be an effective strategy for the cognitive rehabilitation of people with memory impairment. This study aimed to determine whether errorless learning is an effective strategy for teaching a complex procedure. Cognitive impairment has been tentatively linked with outcome after rehabilitation for lower limb amputation. Addressing this impairment may improve outcome. The aim of this study was to determine whether using an errorless learning approach would be beneficial for individuals who are learning how to put on their prosthetic limb. Thirty participants from a prosthetic clinic (WestMARC) were randomly assigned to an intervention (n = 15) or control group (n = 15). Results suggest that errorless learning is beneficial in terms of increasing the number of correct steps recalled from a fitting sequence (Mann-Whitney U = 28; p = 0.000, 2-tailed) compared to the control group. In addition, the errorless learning group made fewer errors during the fitting sequence compared to the control group (Mann-Whitney U = 39; p = 0.002, 2-tailed). The findings suggest that errorless learning is a beneficial approach to use when individuals are learning a procedural memory task.

• Item Type: Thesis (D Clin Psy)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Keywords: Errorless Learning, Cognitive Rehabilitation, Prosthetic Rehabilitation, Skill Learning
• Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
• Colleges/Schools: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > Institute of Health and Wellbeing
• Supervisor's Name: McMillan, Professor Tom M.
• Date of Award: 2008
• Depositing User: Miss Claire L Donaghey
• Unique ID: glathesis:2008-402
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 16 Oct 2009
• Last Modified: 10 Dec 2012 13:18
• URI: http://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/402