OUTER-DIRECTEDNESS IN THE DISCRIMINATION LEARNING OF NORMAL AND MENTALLY RETARDED CHILDREN.
Abstract
HIGH- AND LOW-DISTRACTIBLE RETARDATES OF MIXED ETIOLOGY AND NORMALS OF A COMPARABLE MA LEARNED A 3-CHOICE SIZE DISCRIMINATION WITH AND WITHOUT AN ADDITIONAL CUE. FOR 1/2 OF THE SS IN THE CUE CONDITIONS THE CUE ALWAYS INDICATED THE CORRECT STIMULUS, AND FOR THE OTHER 1/2 THE CUE INDICATED AN INCORRECT STIMULUS. FOR 1/2 OF THE SS IN EACH OF THE CUE CONDITIONS THE CUE WAS E'S FINGER, FOR THE OTHER 1/2 THE CUE WAS A LIGHT. THE HYPOTHESIS THAT RETARDATES ARE MORE OUTER-DIRECTED IN PROBLEM SOLVING THAN NORMALS GENERATED THE PREDICTION THAT THE LEARNING OF THE RETARDATES WOULD BE MORE ENHANCED IN THE POSITIVE CONDITION AND MORE DEBILITATED IN THE NEGATIVE CONDITIONS. CONFIRMATION OF THIS HYPOTHESIS WAS FOUND IN THE NEGATIVE CONDITIONS. NO DIFFERENCES ASSOCIATED WITH TYPE OF CUE OR LEVEL OF DISTRACTIBILITY WERE FOUND. FAMILIAL RETARDATES WERE FOUND TO BE LESS OUTER-DIRECTED IN THEIR PROBLEM SOLVING THAN WERE NONFAMILIAL RETARDATES.