Enduring memory-influenced biases in gymnastic judging

An experiment is reported that examined the duration of prior processing effects in gymnastic judging. Gymnastic judges first encountered a series of gymnastic elements during a study phase. Perceptual and recognition tests then followed 1 of 3 delay conditions: immediate, 1 day, or 1 week. For perceptual judgments, gymnastic elements that were performed the same at study and test resulted in the highest level of accuracy. Elements seen for the first time were less accurate, and the lowest level of accuracy occurred for those that had changed in performance from study to test. This descending pattern of accuracy occurred for all 3 delay conditions, indicating that effects of prior processing were long lasting.