When the performance of congenitally blind children with and without retrolental fibroplasia was compared on a number of cognitive and spatial tasks, no significant differences were found. The results lend no support to the view that children with retrolental fibroplasia have greater deficits than do other congenitally blind children. They suggest, rather, that the amount of early experiences in the environment is responsible for the successful performance of these tasks and that mental and spatial problem solving may depend on different psychological processes.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
ByrneR.W., & SalterE. (1983). Distances and directions in the cognitive maps of the blind.Canadian Journal of Psychology, 37, 293–299.
2.
CohenJ. (1966). The effects of blindness on children's development.New Outlook for the Blind, 60, 150–154.
3.
CohenJ., AlfanoJ.E., BoshesL.D., & PalmgrenC. (1964). Clinical evaluation of school-age children with retrolental fibroplasia.American Journal of Ophthalmology, 47, 41–57.
4.
DoddsA.G. (1980). Spatial representation and blindness. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of NottinghamNottingham England.
5.
DoddsA.G. (1983). Mental rotation and visual imagery.Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 77, 16–18.
6.
DoddsA.G., HowarthC.I., & CarterD.C. (1982). The mental maps of the blind: The role of previous visual experience.Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 76, 5–12.
7.
FoulkeE. (1982). Perception, cognition and mobility of blind pedestrians. In PotegalM. (Ed.), Spatial abilities: Developmental and physiological foundations.New York: Academic Press.
8.
GennM.M., & SilvermanW.A. (1964). The mental development of ex-premature children with retrolental fibroplasia.Journal of Nervous and Mental Disorders, 138, 79–86.
9.
JuurmaJ., & SuonioK. (1969). Optification tendency in tactual spatial manipulation. (Report 68). Helsinki, Finland: Institute of Occupational Health.
10.
KerrN.H. (1983). The role of vision in visual imagery experiments: Evidence from the congenitally blind.Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 112, 265–277.
11.
MillarS. (1975). Spatial memory by blind and sighted children.British Journal of Psychology, 66(4), 449–459.
12.
MillarS. (1976). Spatial representation by blind and sighted children.Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 21, 460–479.
13.
MillarS. (1981). Self reference and movement cues in coding spatial location in blind and partially sighted children.Perception, 10, 255–264.
14.
NorrisM., SpauldingP.J., & BrodieF.H. (1957). Blindness in children.Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
15.
PickH.L., & LockmanJ.J. (1981). From frames of reference to spatial representations. In LibenL.S., PattersonA.H., & NewcombeN. (Eds.), Spatial representation and behavior across the lifespan.New York: Academic Press.
16.
ReiserJ.J., GuthD.A., & HillE.W. (1982). Mental processes mediating independent travel: Implications for orientation and mobility.Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 76, 213–218.
17.
StrelowE. (1985). What is needed for a theory of mobility: Direct perception and cognitive maps.Psychological Review, 92, 226–248.
18.
TermanL.M., & MerrilM.A. (1960). Stanford-Binet intelligence scale.London: George G. Harrap.
19.
WarrenD.H. (1977). Blindness and early childhood development.New York: American Foundation for the Blind.
20.
WarrenD.H., AnooshianL.J., & BollingerJ.G. (1973). Early versus late blindness: The role of early vision in spatial behavior.Research Bulletin (American Foundation for the Blind), 26, 151–170.
21.
WarrenD.H., & KoconJ.A. (1974). Factors in the successful mobility of the blind: A review.Research Bulletin (American Foundation for the Blind), 28, 191–218.
22.
WeschslerD. (1976). Wechsler intelligence scale for children—revised.Windsor, England: NFER-Nelson.
23.
WorchelP. (1951). Space perception and orientation in the blind.Psychological Monographs, 65, 15.