Articles

Differential Learning Versus Repetitive Practice: Effects on Football Dribbling Skill Acquisition and Retention in Adolescent Players

Maysaa Khalid Ahmed1
  1. University of Samarra ROR
Published2026-06-12
SectionArticles
LanguageEnglish
Views68
Downloads27
DOIhttps://doi.org/10.65115/zb015d84
Check for updates

Abstract

This study compared the effects of differential learning (DL) and repetitive practice (RP) on dribbling skill acquisition, retention, and transfer in adolescent male football players. Thirty-six players (age: 14.2 ± 1.1 years) were randomised to DL (n = 18) or RP (n = 18) groups and completed a ten-week skill training programme (three sessions per week). Dribbling performance was assessed using the Mor-Christian General Soccer Ability Skills Test battery. The DL group demonstrated significantly superior performance on the week-10 acquisition test (p < 0.001; d = 1.76) and retention test (p < 0.001; d = 2.04) compared to the RP group, despite similar performance at week 5 (p > 0.05). Transfer scores on a novel obstacle-dribbling task were also significantly higher in the DL group (p = 0.002; d = 1.41). These findings indicate that differential learning produces more durable and transferable football dribbling skills in adolescent players than conventional repetitive practice.

Keywords Differential Learning Motor Learning Dribbling Skill Practice Variability Adolescent Athletes

References

  1. Araújo, D., Davids, K., & Hristovski, R. (2006). The ecological dynamics of decision making in sport. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 7(6), 653-676. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2006.07.002
  2. Bortoli, L., Robazza, C., Durigon, V., & Carra, C. (1992). Effects of contextual interference on learning technical sports skills. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 75(2), 555-562. https://doi.org/10.2466/pms.1992.75.2.555
  3. Brady, F. (1998). A theoretical and empirical review of the contextual interference effect and the learning of motor skills. Quest, 50(3), 266-293. https://doi.org/10.1080/00336297.1998.10484283
  4. Davids, K., Button, C., & Bennett, S. (2008). Dynamics of skill acquisition: A constraints-led approach. Human Kinetics.
  5. Farrow, D., & Buszard, T. (2017). Exploring the applicability of the contextual interference effect in sports practice. Progress in Brain Research, 234, 69-83. https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.pbr.2017.08.002
  6. Gröger, S., & Schöllhorn, W. I. (2004). Differential training as a strategy to reduce competition-induced performance decrements. Coaching & Sport Science Journal, 6(1), 28-35.
  7. Hall, K. G., Domingues, D. A., & Cavazos, R. (1994). Contextual interference effects with skilled baseball players. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 78(3), 835-841. https://doi.org/10.2466/pms.1994.78.3.835
  8. Kelso, J. A. S. (1995). Dynamic patterns: The self-organization of brain and behavior. MIT Press.
  9. Lola, A. C., & Tzetzis, G. C. (2012). The effect of explicit, implicit and discovery learning on transfer of a tennis skill. International Journal of Sport Science & Coaching, 7(3), 573-588. https://doi.org/10.1260/1747-9541.7.3.573
  10. Magill, R. A., & Hall, K. G. (1990). A review of the contextual interference effect in motor skill acquisition. Human Movement Science, 9(3-5), 241-289. https://doi.org/10.1016/0167-9457(90)90005-X
  11. Memmert, D., & Roth, K. (2007). The effects of non-specific and specific concepts on tactical creativity in team ball sports. Journal of Sports Sciences, 25(12), 1423-1432. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640410601129755
  12. Reilly, T., & Williams, A. M. (Eds.). (2003). Science and soccer (2nd ed.). Routledge.
  13. Schmidt, R. A., & Lee, T. D. (2011). Motor control and learning: A behavioral emphasis (5th ed.). Human Kinetics.
  14. Schöllhorn, W. I., Beckmann, H., Michelbrink, M., Sechelmann, M., Trockel, M., & Davids, K. (2006). Does noise provide a basis for the unification of motor learning theories? International Journal of Sport Psychology, 37(2-3), 186-206.
  15. Schöllhorn, W. I., Hegen, P., & Davids, K. (2012). The nonlinear nature of learning - A differential learning approach. The Open Sports Sciences Journal, 5(1), 100-112. https://doi.org/10.2174/1875399X01205010100
  16. Schöllhorn, W. I., Mayer-Kress, G., Newell, K. M., & Michelbrink, M. (2009). Time scales of adaptive behavior and motor learning in the presence of stochastic perturbations. Human Movement Science, 28(3), 319-333. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.humov.2008.10.005
  17. Shea, J. B., & Morgan, R. L. (1979). Contextual interference effects on the acquisition, retention, and transfer of a motor skill. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Learning and Memory, 5(2), 179-187. https://doi.org/10.1037/0278-7393.5.2.179
  18. Simon, D. A., & Bjork, R. A. (2001). Metacognition in motor learning. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 27(4), 907-912. https://doi.org/10.1037/0278-7393.27.4.907
  19. Steenbergen, B., van der Kamp, J., Verneau, M., Jongbloed-Pereboom, M., & Masters, R. S. W. (2010). Implicit and explicit learning: Applications from basic research to sports for individuals with impaired movement. Disability and Rehabilitation, 32(18), 1509-1516. https://doi.org/10.3109/09638288.2010.497035
  20. Talpey, S. W., & Siesmaa, E. J. (2017). Sports injury prevention: The role of the sports coach. International Sport Coaching Journal, 4(3), 97-106. https://doi.org/10.1123/iscj.2016-0009
  21. Torrents, C., Ric, A., & Hristovski, R. (2015). Creativity and emergence of specific dance movements using instructional constraints. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, 9(1), 65-74. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0038706
  22. Wrisberg, C. A., & Liu, Z. (1991). The effect of contextual variety on the practice, retention, and transfer of an applied motor skill. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 62(4), 406-412. https://doi.org/10.1080/02701367.1991.10608739
  23. Zanone, P. G., & Kelso, J. A. S. (1992). Evolution of behavioral attractors with learning: Nonequilibrium phase transitions. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 18(2), 403-421. https://doi.org/10.1037/0096-1523.18.2.403
  24. Zentgraf, K., & Munzert, J. (2009). Effects of attentional-focus instructions on movement kinematics. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 10(5), 520-525. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2009.02.003
  25. Zimmerman, B. J., & Kitsantas, A. (1997). Developmental phases in self-regulation of motions: Shifting from process to outcome goals. Journal of Educational Psychology, 89(1), 29-36. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.89.1.29

How to cite

Ahmed, M.K. (2026). Differential Learning Versus Repetitive Practice: Effects on Football Dribbling Skill Acquisition and Retention in Adolescent Players. Al-Malwiya Journal of Sport and Movement Sciences, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.65115/zb015d84

BibTeX RIS EndNote

Usage statistics

Most read articles by the same author(s)

Similar Articles

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.