| This study examined if verbal and non-verbal performances on a novel procedural task were differentially affected by (1) the sensory modality of input and (2) a time delay for displaying learning. One purpose was to determine if a modality bias existed for the group that received combined auditory, visual and tactual sensory inputs (AVT) versus the groups that received only auditory sensory input (A) or combined auditory and visual sensory inputs (AV). Another purpose was to see if certain modality conditions enhanced the retention of the new information. This study used 21 Caucasian, male, college students aged 18 to 21 years. It compared the accuracy of their non-verbal performances and of the procedural discourses provided by the individuals in each of the experimental groups. For the verbal performance, results showed a statistically significant difference between the AVT group and the other two groups (A and AV) after the 20-minute time delay but not before. With respect to the nonverbal performance, the A group performed significantly poorer than did the other two groups. These results have implications for future research and clinical work with traumatic brain injury patients (TBI). |
