A two process memory-based account for mental and physical practice differences

The authors investigated the underlying processing structures for mental and physical practice. Participants mentally or physically performed 4 tasks during practice. Halfway through practice, 2 tasks were switched from mental to physical practice, or vice versa. After completing practice trials, participants performed 2 retention tests. The first retention test required memory retrieval and the second retention test reinstated the practice context and did not require memory retrieval. Measures of response initiation and execution showed discrepant findings suggesting that different processing structures underlie response initiation and execution during mental and physical practice. Findings for the switch conditions supported this interpretation suggesting that different neural structures may facilitate processing related to mental and physical practice.