Mannerisms of the Blind: A Review of the Literature

Abstract

A review of the literature in which manneristic behavior in blind children is described. Although much has been written about the blind, a minimum of research has been devoted to the description and remediation of manneristic behavior. Literature on mannerisms usually constitutes a small part of larger surveys of general information about the behavior of the blind. To aid in understanding manneristic behavior, the subject has been divided into four sections: definitional problems; classification systems; etiological theories; and social and functional dimensions and remedial techniques. An attempt has been made in this treatment of the literature, to provide an in-depth look at manneristic behavior of the blind, and to illustrate’ the need for additional research on this topic.