Speed of Visual Perception in Deaf Children

Abstract

A test of visual perceptual speed was administered to 50 deaf and 50 hearing children equated in age, sex, and Performance IQ. The test included 13 subtests varying in stimulus complexity and verbal content. In each subtest the subject was required to identify and underline the correct stimulus, which was interspersed among similar stimuli, as rapidly as possible. The hearing children scored significantly higher on 9 of the 13 subtests; older children scored significantly higher on all subtests; and there was a significant interaction between age and hearing status on only one subtest. Correlations between subtest scores, reading vocabulary, and Performance IQ were also calculated. The results were discussed in terms of the specific task requirements of the visual perceptual speed test. It was concluded that deficits of visual perception in deaf children should be interpreted in relation to age, education, language development, and reading achievement of the populations studied.