Task variety during training was manipulated to assess residual effects on skill acquisition during subsequent transfer to a novel perceptual motor task. The task involved tracing a four-point star pattern displayed on a personal computer with a "mouse," while receiving variation in visual feedback from the CRT display. Variety during training involved two cases of abnormal visual feedback (left-right reversal and 90 degree tilt) Task variety (i.e., visual feedback) was manipulated and counterbalanced in four levels: alternated variety (trial by trial), blocked variety (in five trial sets), no variety (i.e., one type of feedback), and a control condition that trained with no displacement (normal feedback). All groups were tested with inverted feedback (up-down reversal) as the novel transfer task. The number of trials was fixed as 10 trials each for the training and transfer phases. Dependent measures were RMS error and time to completion. During training, significant differences revealed that the alternated variety condition was the most difficult to learn, followed by blocked variety, no variety, and the control condition. The two variety groups did not differ in performance on the first transfer trial. The alternated group traced faster on transfer trials two through five, however, the blocked group was more accurate. The no variety group performed superior to the two variety conditions combined, on all of the first five transfer trials. Although the control group performed with significantly fewer errors than the treatment conditions on the first transfer trial, the treatment groups performed significantly faster than the control group on transfer trials two through five. These results indicate that task variety under these circumstances was generally no advantage to transfer performance. It is speculated that variation may indeed improve transfer with longer training periods.

The purpose of the study was to explore perceptual-motor differences between blind and sighted adults from a neuropsychological perspective, and to analyze differences within the blind group. Perceptual-motor abilities were examined using the Comprehensive Vocational Evaluation System (CVES), a vocational rehabilitation and neuropsychological battery designed for use with blind populations. The data were processed using Analysis of Covariance. Results showed that sighted persons had better motor abilities, while persons with blindness were more skilled at haptic identification of shape and texture. Analysis within the blind group showed that texture identification skills are better when blindness occurs earlier in life and to the extent that the blindness is total. Later onset blindness and the retention of some functional vision may not lead to a refocusing of attentional states necessary to develop haptic images. New neural connections may develop in persons with congenital/total blindness, a hypothesis in line with recent neuroradiological findings that occipital lobe activation occurs when congenitally blind individuals engage in tactile processing tasks. One implication of the findings is that teaching individuals who retain some functional vision to read Braille is probably counterproductive. These individuals would be better served by learning to use a CCTV and large print books. Future researchers should examine blindness from a multivariate perspective, examining subsets of blind groups based on age at onset, visual status, and other pertinent variables. Other implications are discussed and recommendations for future research are provided.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego, 1981. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 127-130).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego, 1981. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 127-130).

No description available.

The relationship between perinatal complications and sensory-motor functions was examined. Information from the Maternal Perinatal Scale (MPS) was used to predict factor scores of the Dean Sensory-Motor Battery (DSMB). Participants were 187 normal nonreferred children who were administered the DSMB while their mothers completed the MPS. Using MPS items as predictors, separate stepwise regression analyses for each DSMB factor found that 11 - 16% of variance could be accounted for in sensory-motor performance. At least three MPS items significantly contributed to the prediction of each DSMB factor. Predictors of Sensory and Simple Motor functions (DSMB Factor I) included maternal bleeding during pregnancy, delay between membrane rupture (water break) and onset of labor, and evidence of hypoxia. Evidence of hypoxia, maternal bleeding during pregnancy, and delay between water break and labor onset were predictive of Motor and Complex Sensory functions (DSMB Factor II). In addition, gender of the child joined maternal bleeding during pregnancy, amount of swelling during pregnancy, and mother's height in predicting Subcortical Motor functions (DSMB Factor III). Additional analyses using a canonical correlation confirmed the results of the regression analyses. A linear composite of sensory and motor variables was primarily defined by DSMB factors I and II. The linear composite of perinatal information was defined primarily by the same items that emerged as significant predictors of sensorymotor functions in the regression analyses. Most notably, a redundancy analysis indicated that about 20% of variance in DSMB factor scores could be accounted for by a linear composite of perinatal information. In general, sensory-motor performance decreased as severity of perinatal complications increased. Results were discussed in terms of the implications of using a normal non-referred population. More importantly, the present data suggested the possibility that 1) the relationship between perinatal complications and sensory-motor functions may exist on a continuum rather than the dichotomous diagnosis/no diagnosis, and 2) the synergistic influence of multiple perinatal complications may contribute to the manifestation of clinically significant behaviors. The role of sensory-motor functions as a foundation for more complex behaviors is also discussed. / Department of Educational Psychology

The purposes of the study were to (1) determine the correlation of visual-motor performance (as measured by a visual-motor integration test and writing assessment) with achievement scores in reading skills and spelling, and (2) to examine the possible effectiveness of using paper-pencil motor training as a means of aiding the development of perceptual-motor, handwriting, and reading skills.At the beginning of the school year, 76 first grade children in four classes in one school were given the following tests: the-Beery and Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration, Metropolitan Achievement Tests, Primer Level, "Part 1: Listening for Sounds," and "Part 2: Reading" (items 1-28), and a handwriting test. Near the end of the academic year, in May, the copying children were given the same tests with the addition of five items on the Reading subtest, and a spelling test taken from the vocabulary of the Ginn series, Reading 360 Performance scores were used for within-group correlations of the variables and for comparisons of class achievement.Two of the classes received no special instruction in visual-motor perception. One experimental class was instructed with the Frostig Developmental Program in, Visual Perception, Pictures and Patterns, which uses geometric forms or drawings of objects for practice in perception, while the other experimental class utilized a program specifically designed for this study which employs alphabet and word-forms presented with the same worksheet format.Analysis of the data indicated that the observed within-group correlation of pretest scores of visual-motor integration and writing was significant at .40 (above .23 necessary to be statistically significant from zero). Visual-motor performance correlated significantly with listening for sounds (.28), but not with reading (.14). Correlations of pretest writing and reading skills were significant, .57 with listening for sounds, and .48 with reading as measured by the Metropolitan tests.In contrast with pretest results, the within-group correlations of posttest scores for the variables showed a very low correlation of VMI with writing (.12), and a lower correlation of writing with reading skills (.28 for both Metropolitan subtests). Correlation of VMI and reading skills showed a minimal significant correlation of .23 with reading, and .31 with sounds which was higher than the relationship noted in pretest score correlations.Correlation of pretest scores with posttest results was suggested for possible predictive use. The correlation of pretest writing with posttest listening for sounds (.42), with reading (.58) and spelling (.58) indicated that this comparison might be worthy of consideration for further investigation.To determine the effectiveness of visual-motor training a comparison was made of the four treatment groups using the pretest and posttest scores of performance on the visual-motor, writing, listening for sounds, and reading tests. In order to establish that the pretest scores of the classes were not significantly different and that the classes were equivalent, a multivariate and univariate analysis of variance with treatment for sex differences was made. The results indicated that the four treatment groups were not significantly different on the variables tested except for one measure of writing which was therefore not included in. the posttest analysis.The null hypothesis that there is no statistically significant difference between the vectors of mean posttest scores of children receiving perceptual-motor training and those who did not was not rejected, (F4 68 = .5193; p (.72). It was also concluded that there was no statistically significant difference between the performances of the two experimental groups, (F4,68 = .6408, p < .63); there was no statistically significant difference in the scores of performance of the two comparison groups, (F4 68 = .88, p < .4779).Although development of visual-motor perception may be important as a componentof growth and learning, the results of this study do not show significant correlation with reading achievement in first grade. Significant differences were not disclosed in two different approaches to perceptual motor development, one employing geometric forms, and the other alphabet letter symbols.

Thesis (M.S.)--Wisconsin State University (La Crosse), 1967. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves [74]-75).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1975. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 184-201).

The two point threshold was studied extensively by the psychophysical experimenters of the last century. More recent formulations in signal detection theory have suggested that the statements of these workers about absolute thresholds should be viewed with caution. This study investigates the two point threshold in the light of these formulations, and has two main aims :- (1) To state and deal with the problem of relating a limitation in perceptual ability, such as that which is represented by the two point threshold, to the receptor organisation of the body. (2) To demonstrate a practice effect on the two point threshold, and to consider this in the light of (1) above. To fulfil these two aims, a model of the neural mechanisms underlying the discrimination of two points applied to the skin is proposed, and this is able to accommodate what is known of the two point threshold. Although the model is simple it explicitly accounts for size transfer and the practice effect, and provides some clues as to the type of neural mechanism capable of producing them. The practice effect is demonstrated experimentally, and the results are then referred to the model proposed. The physiology of an organism sets the limits for its behaviour. 'The first aim is thus an important one, in that it considers a specific case of this general problem. And secondly, the practice effect on the two point threshold is typical of a number of fairly simple "learning" phenomena, which are part of the psychologists' study of learning.