How to foster learning by limiting the response speed

Author(s): Cristina Casadevante [sup.1] , Tuulia Ortner [sup.2] , Miriam Romero [sup.1] , José Manuel Hernández [sup.1] , José Santacreu [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.5515.4, 0000000119578126, Department of Psychology (Facultad [...]
The aim of this research is to analyse the relevance of speed response and its regulation for learning. In order to avoid the biases of self-reports, we used a computerized objective test, The Category Learning Test (CLT). It measures the student&apos;s actual behaviour while completing a learning task. In the first study (N = 41), we found that university students that achieved a high learning index performed slower than their mates did (t (37) = -4.05, p < .001, [eta].sup.2 = .307). Therefore, acting too fast was associated with poor performance in the task. In the second study (N = 184), we divided the sample into two groups and we applied a speed limit to the intervention group in order to promote learning. The intervention group achieved a higher learning index than the control group (t (129) = -8.36, p < .001, [eta].sup.2 = .298). Hence, the speed limit fostered learning. Therefore, regulation of the speed may be appropriate to foster learning.