Performance of retarded and nonretarded persons on information-processing tasks: Further tests of the similar structure hypothesis.

Abstract

In this article we review information-processing studies applicable to the similar structure hypothesis. This hypothesis holds that when nonorganically impaired retarded and nonretarded persons are similar in general developmental level, they are also similar in the cognitive processes and concepts by which they reason. Results of this review were strikingly different from those of an earlier review focusing on Piagetian investigations. A meta-analysis revealed that the performance of retarded groups was significantly inferior to that of their nonretarded psychometric mental age peers. We also found a significant relation between the mental age of the subjects and the probability of finding a significant difference between retarded and nonretarded subjects. A number of alternative explanations are offered for these findings.

The effects of memory trace strength on eyewitness recall in children with and without intellectual disabilities

“…Eyewitness memory requires incidental recall, and this type of unexpected, naturalistic memory task may favor children with ID (Burack & Zigler, 1990), unlike more traditional laboratory-style tests of memory where deWcits in the performance of children with ID are commonly reported (e.g., Borkowski, Peck, & Damberg, 1991;Weiss, Weisz, & BromWeld, 1986). When children with ID are compared with typically developing children of comparable intellectual ability (i.e., peers matched for mental age [MA]), there are relatively few diVerences in performance (Gordon, Jens, Hollings, & Watson, 1994;Henry & Gudjonsson, 1999, 2003Michel, Gordon, Ornstein, & Simpson, 2000).…”

Individual and developmental differences in eyewitness recall and suggestibility in children with intellectual disabilities

“…The incidental nature of eyewitness recall means that eyewitness memory tasks are both unexpected and relatively naturalistic, and may lead to better performance in children with ID (Burack & Zigler, 1990) than in more traditional laboratory style tests of memory like digit span (e.g. Borkowski, Peck, & Damberg, 1991;Weiss, Weisz, & Bromfield, 1986).…”

Identifying Symbolic Relationships in Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Deficit in the Identification of Temporal Co-occurrence?

“…Importantly though, although there was a significant effect of group; post-hoc analysis revealed this to be a reflection of the MLD group's score being significantly lower than that of the TD group. This is an indication that the MLD group had difficulty in identifying the relationships between cue and target, presumably as a result of reasoning difficulties associated with their developmental delay (Weiss et al 1986). The children with ASD did not make significantly less use of the cues than the control groups.…”

“…This raises an immediate question of whether any difficulties observed are reflective of these individuals' reduced IQ, or of deficits specific to ASD. A group of verbal ability matched controls was therefore employed in order to identify whether any difficulties are merely reflective of reasoning and inference difficulties associated with lower than average IQ (Spitz 1982;Weiss et al 1986). …”