[blindza] COGNITIVE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CONGENITALLY AND ADVENTITIOUSLY BLIND INDIVIDUALS - Gregory S. Hupp, B.S., M.A.

The bit of content below is sort of the intro for the following PDF file
that I ran across while running a google search related to visually
impaired specific IQ tests etc.:
http://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc4318/m1/1/high_res_d/dissertation.pdf

Haven't gone through it too much myself as of yet, but, even based on
intro, it seems like might be relatively of interest.

Stay well

Jacob Kruger
Blind Biker
Skype: BlindZA
'...fate had broken his body, but not his spirit...'


---article content---
It is apparent from the historical perspective regarding the theories of
cognitive development and the cognitive functioning of individuals with
visual impairments, that sight plays a major role in the development of
certain cognitive processes. However, the affects of visual impairment on
cognitive development remain to be at issue. Since sight seems to be highly
integral in cognitive development beginning in the early stages of physical
development, about the sixth month of life, and then begins to diminish in
importance as verbal communication develops around eighteen months, then it
should stand to reason that significant visual impairment or blindness
occurring prior to this time would adversely impact an individual's
cognitive development. Conversely, the occurrence of visual impairment or
blindness after this critical period of development would have less of an
impact. Cognitive theorists have proposed that visually impaired or blind
persons may have developed different cognitive pathways to acquire,
process, and accommodate sensory information. As a result, visually
impaired or blind (VI/B) persons may "think differently" than sighted
individuals. The present study was designed to address these issues as they
relate to cognitive and neuropsychological development at various stages of
growth and to examine possible differences in neuropsychological
functioning dependent on the level of visual functioning a person retains;
e.g. both the issues of age at onset and degree of impairment. It was also
designed to study the

possible interaction effects of degree of impairment with the age of
onset. Findings indicated that the only differences in cognitive
functioning appear to be related to age of onset and not the level of
visual impairment. The findings further suggested that congenitally blind
individuals have indeed developed alternate methods of cognitively
processing nonverbal, abstract, or complex information, especially
information involving a high degree of spatial orientation. Implications of
this study may influence the educational methods used to teach congenitally
blind individuals in order to reinforce these alternate pathways and
facilitate more effective means of negotiating in a sighted environment.
---end of content---
source URL:
http://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc4318/m1/1/high_res_d/dissertation.pdf


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  • » [blindza] COGNITIVE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CONGENITALLY AND ADVENTITIOUSLY BLIND INDIVIDUALS - Gregory S. Hupp, B.S., M.A. - Jacob Kruger