The purpose of this study was to compare the controlling function of two standardized visual symbol systems used as antecedent stimuli in training manual communication to four nonverbal moderately mentally retarded school aged children. The major objective of the study was to determine if differences existed in the controlling function between Bliss and Rebus symbols in occasioning a signing response. The study was divided into two phases. During the training phase, Bliss and Rebus symbols representing the word to be signed were paired for simultaneous presentation. During the probe phase, Bliss and Rebus symbols representing the word to be signed were presented independently. Response latency was employed as the dependent measures because it is considered a sensitive measure of behavioral acquisition. Results of the experiment provide substantial evidence that a difference exists between the controlling function of Bliss and Rebus symbols as antecedent stimuli in manual communication training of mentally retarded subjects such as those participating in the study. Data supporting this conclusion are: (1) a 100% correct signing response in the presence of all 60 Rebus symbols; (2) response latencies of less than five seconds in the presence of all 60 Rebus symbols; and (3) the total absence of a correct signing response in the presence of Bliss symbols for 55 out of 60 trials. In this study, changes in the signing response were clearly evident when the antecedent stimulus was varied. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 42-09, Section: A, page: 3950. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1981.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_74601 |
| Contributors | PLUMB, INIA JEAN., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 109 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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