Responses of Retarded Children on Three and Two Dimensional Visual Tasks

Abstract

This study attempted to evaluate the performance of two groups of mentally retarded children on 3 dimensional objects and 2 dimensional colored pictures. A total of 30 mentally retarded children residing at the Columbus State Institute were divided into 2 groups paired on perceptual functioning in relation to visual motor tasks. The groups were also paired on CA, MA, and IQ. In random order, 180 objects and colored pictures (90 of each) were presented. Results showed that subjects with severe visual motor handicaps scored significantly lower than those who had minimal visual motor handicaps on identification of 3 dimensional objects and total scores. There were no significant differences on the picture scores between the 2 groups. Implications of these results in terms of the Gellner theory are discussed.

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