Interlesson Spacing and Task-Related Processing During Complex Skill Acquisition

College students in 2 experiments learned a complex laboratory task, Space Fortress, in a context representative of pilot training. Experiment 1 contrasted massed ( n = 23) and distributed ( n = 22) intervals between practice lessons. Experiment 2 contrasted 25-min interlesson activities of task-relevant elaboration ( n = 20) versus an arithmetic task ( n = 20). Both experiments tested acquisition, retention, transfer from joystick to keyboard, and interference from a secondary tapping task. All tests favored the distributed group and the elaboration group. Advantages during acquisition and retention were similar, contradicting temporary advantages predicted by the theory of reactive inhibition and supporting long-term advantages predicted by recent theories extended to the present situational and task context.