Teaching memory-impaired people to touch type: The acquisition of a useful complex perceptual-motor skill

Abstract

This study provides ecological validity for laboratory findings that people with memory difficulties following brain injury can learn new skills. This was done by testing the acquisition of a useful real-world perceptual-motor skill. Using a conventional computer software training package supplemented by one-to-one coaching, a woman with severely impaired memory and a man with poor memory learned to touch type. They achieved the initial criterion of 20 wpm with over 90% accuracy; reached a top speed of 30 wpm and retained their skill a year later. The memory-impaired participants received short sessions of distributed practice and as far as possible were taught under error-free learning conditions. Their performance was broadly comparable with that of two non-memory-impaired comparison participants in terms of acquisition, consolidation and transfer, speed and accuracy, and retention.

Keywords:

• Memory impairment
• Skill acquisition
• Touch typing.

Mary Todd is supported by a bursary from the University of Bolton. The authors would like to thank the clients of the Brain and Spinal Injury Centre for their help with this study.