COMPARISON OF SENSORIMOTOR LEARNING ABILITIES OF MENTALLY RETARDED AND NORMAL ADOLESCENTS (PSYCHOMOTOR, MODEL, MEASUREMENT)

DONALD LEE ANDRES, Purdue University

Abstract

Many mentally retarded individuals may be failing to reach their vocational potential due to denial of the opportunity to train and compete for sensorimotor tasks (jobs) which may be well within their capability to learn. The sensorimotor learning ability of retarded people relative to that of normal people appears to have been inadequately researched and documented. Measurement and modeling difficulties may have contributed to this problem. The study developed and utilized a three-component learning model based on learning curve theory. A direct comparison of three sensorimotor learning abilities of retarded and normal adolescents was made to determine whether mentally retarded were able to learn to perform a simple sensorimotor task as efficiently as normal adolescents. Subjects were 39 moderately mentally retarded, 36 mildly mentally retarded, and 37 mentally normal adolescents. Three measures of sensorimotor learning ability were computed for each subject from data collected with the Salvendy One-Hole Test. The testing was done on an individual basis and involved performance of a peg positioning task over a series of 15 one-minute practice/observation trials. A learning curve was determined for each subject. Regression analysis of the data yielded the three measures. The intercept of the regression line served as the measure of the subject's inferred initial performance. The slope of the regression line served as the measure of the subject's sensorimotor learning rate. The number of one-minute practice trials needed by the subject to reach a standard performance level was estimated using the regression equation, and the estimate served as the measure of the subject's predicted training time. One-way ANOVA was used for group comparisons. Significant (p < .001) group differences in inferred initial performance were found. Significant (p < .001) group differences were also found in predicted training time. Tests for group differences in sensorimotor learning rate were not found to be significant (p = .328). The results suggest that lower sensorimotor performance of mentally retarded adolescents may be due to lower initial performance level but not due to a sensorimotor learning rate disadvantage.

Degree

Ph.D.

Subject Area

Special education

COinS