Perceptual-motor transfer in imbeciles: a second series of experiments.

Earlier experiments tested a hypothesis derived from Hebb, that perceptual-motor transfer would be negatively correlated with age in imbecile subjects of 9, 17 and 23 years. On four tasks this hypothesis was strongly confirmed, with the youngest showing massive transfer of training compared with the older subjects, and almost reaching adult level. The present series of experiments included tasks of greater complexity. An unexpected finding was that the younger subjects were able, after 6 months of non-practice, to learn a more difficult sorting task more easily than the easier one 6 months earlier, thus showing the retention of learning set and improved perceptual and conceptual discrimination. Another experiment with the complex Minnesota formboards again showed greater transfer in children than in adults; here an initial average gap of 640 sec. between the performance of children and that of adults was narrowed to 45 sec. after 32 trials. Finally, after a year of non-practice, adolescent and adult subjects were able to carry out a sorting task very much better than previously, indicating the long-term effect of earlier learning. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.