Mixed Effects of Training on Transfer

The study of learning transfer yields conflicting patterns of results. While some research shows strong effects of previous learning, others show no such effects. This is a consequence of the absence of consensus on what parts of a skill is transferred. In the present paper, we suggest that learning can be divided into general task-related components and specific stimulus-related ones. In one condition, participants were transferred to a new set of stimuli while continuing to perform the same task. Results show an absence of benefit right after the transfer and the presence of long-lasting interference. In the opposite condition, the results show no effects of previous training. These diverging results are best explained by a model of higher-level skill acquisition: knowledge partitioning.