Stimulus properties such as similarity-dissimilarity and novelty-familiarity are inherently relational and are embedded in most stimulus contexts.
The specific aim of the present investigation is to analyze and enhance the relational characteristics of stimulus arrays in order to facilitate performance on tasks such as oddity and match-to-sample. Both mentally retarded and young nonretarded children are particularly prone to failure on these relational tasks (Greenfield, 1985; Soraci, Deckner, Haenlein, Baumeister, Murata-Soraci, & Blanton, 1987). Converging evidence from various studies suggests that a critical factor in the performance discrepancies between retarded and nonretarded children is a differential sensitivity to relational information (e.g., Soraci, Deckner, & Baumeister, 1989). In the proposed studies, emphasis is placed on facilitating the detection of relevant stimulus relations as a """"""""front-end"""""""" (Brown, Collins, & Deguid, 1989) intervention strategy. The proposed studies are divided into four sections: I. Oddity, II. Induction of Other Relational Concepts, III. Learning to Exclude and Learning by Exclusion; and IV. Stimulus Equivalence.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
1R01HD027336-01
Application #
3329011
Study Section
Human Development and Aging Subcommittee 3 (HUD)
Project Start
1990-09-01
Project End
1995-04-30
Budget Start
1990-09-01
Budget End
1991-04-30
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
1990
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Department
Type
Schools of Education
DUNS #
004413456
City
Nashville
State
TN
Country
United States
Zip Code
37212
Hoehn, T P; Baumeister, A A (1994) A critique of the application of sensory integration therapy to children with learning disabilities. J Learn Disabil 27:338-50
Utley, C A; Hoehn, T P; Soraci Jr, S A et al. (1993) Span of apprehension in mentally retarded children: an initial investigation. J Intellect Disabil Res 37 ( Pt 2):183-7
Carlin, M T; Soraci Jr, S A (1993) Similarities in the detection of stimulus symmetry by individuals with and without mental retardation. Am J Ment Retard 98:336-48