Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1975,40,49-50.
@ Perceptual and Motor Skills 1975
DURATION OF STIMULUS PRESENTATION AND SCREENING FOR PERCEPTUAL DISABILITIES MICHAEL E. ROHR AND JERRY B. AYERS
Tennessee Technological Universiiy Summary.-This study examined the effects of increasing the stimuluspresentation time of a motion picture test for identifying perceptual disabilities in the performance OF Ss in regular first and fourth grade classrooms and on a sample of Ss in special education classes who had been identified as having varying degrees of perceptual deficiencies. The length of stimulus presentation increased the total performance of Ss on the motion picture test but did not add to the value of the instmment as a screening device.
Previous research (Rohr & Ayers, 1974) has suggested that the Purdue Motion Picture Screening Test has potential as an easily administered, low-cost screening device for detecting perceptual dysfunctions in fourth grade children. However, a possible limitation of the device noted in the study was the effect of attention span on performance. This in part may be the problem encountered by McDaniel (1973) in his use of earlier versions of the motion picture device with early elementary children. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of increasing the stimulus presentation time of the motion picture test on the performance of children in regular first and fourth grade classrooms and of a sample of Ss in special education classes who had been identified as having varying degrees of perceptual deficiencies and were approximately at the age of fourth grade children. Ss were 28 children enrolled in a first grade class, 29 children enrolled in a fourth grade class, and 37 children enrolled in three special education classes. The motion picture test has two parts (Embedded Figures and Successive Figures) with 25 items in each and was found to have a KR-20 reliabiliry with fourth grade Ss of .80 (Rohr & Ayers, 1974). The test was modified for use in this study. The odd items of each part of the test were shown first to Ss for the regular period of presentation (4.25 sec.). The even items immediately followed for a duration of 8.50 sec. each. Metropolitan Achievement Test scores and Intelligence as measured by the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test or StanfordBinet Intelligence Scale Form L-M were obtained from each S s school records. Results indicated significantly increased performance by all groups on the Embedded Figures part of the test when the duration of stimulus presentation was increased. However, there were no significant increases in performances on the Successive Figures part of the test (Table 1 ) . The increase in scores on the Embedded Figures part of the test ranged from 1.8 for the fourth grade and special education groups to 2.6 for the first grade group. Thus, while over-all performance was increased, increases for all groups were approximately the same.
M.E. ROHR
&
J. B. AYERS
TABLE 1 MEANS,STANDARD DEVIATIONS AND t TESTSFOR MO~ION PICTURE TEST Tesc Embedded Figures 4.25 sec. exposure 8.50 sec. exposure Successive Figures 4.25 sec. exposure 8.50 sec. exposure tp
Grade 4
Grade 1 t
M
SD
4.5 2.6 7.1 2.9
3.49t
6.7 8.5
3.0 2.7
5.2 6.0
1.28
7.6 2.3 7.1 2.3
M
SD
2.2 2.4
Special Educ. t
M
SD
t
2.4
3.591
4.2
2.4 2.4
3.15t
0.87
4.7 5.7
2.6 2.4
1.68
< .01.
Correlational patterns of scores from the motion picture test with intelligence and achievement test scores were comparable to those reported by McDaniel (1973) and Rohr and Ayers ( 1974). The length of stimulus presentation appeared to have little effect on the relative level of performance on the motion picture test of Ss in Grades 1 or 4 or of Ss having known perceptual disabilities. Also, it appeared that increasing the length of stimulus presentation did not add to the value of the instrument as a screening device for the detection of perceptual disabilities. REFERENCES MCDANIEL, E. D. Ten motion picture tests of perceptual abilities. Perceptual and Motor Shills, 1973, 36, 755-759. ROHR. M. E., & AYERS.J. B. Motion-picture screening device for the identification of perceptual disabilities. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1974, 39, 347-352.
Accepted November 22, 1974.
@ Perceptual and Motor Skills 1975
DURATION OF STIMULUS PRESENTATION AND SCREENING FOR PERCEPTUAL DISABILITIES MICHAEL E. ROHR AND JERRY B. AYERS
Tennessee Technological Universiiy Summary.-This study examined the effects of increasing the stimuluspresentation time of a motion picture test for identifying perceptual disabilities in the performance OF Ss in regular first and fourth grade classrooms and on a sample of Ss in special education classes who had been identified as having varying degrees of perceptual deficiencies. The length of stimulus presentation increased the total performance of Ss on the motion picture test but did not add to the value of the instmment as a screening device.
Previous research (Rohr & Ayers, 1974) has suggested that the Purdue Motion Picture Screening Test has potential as an easily administered, low-cost screening device for detecting perceptual dysfunctions in fourth grade children. However, a possible limitation of the device noted in the study was the effect of attention span on performance. This in part may be the problem encountered by McDaniel (1973) in his use of earlier versions of the motion picture device with early elementary children. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of increasing the stimulus presentation time of the motion picture test on the performance of children in regular first and fourth grade classrooms and of a sample of Ss in special education classes who had been identified as having varying degrees of perceptual deficiencies and were approximately at the age of fourth grade children. Ss were 28 children enrolled in a first grade class, 29 children enrolled in a fourth grade class, and 37 children enrolled in three special education classes. The motion picture test has two parts (Embedded Figures and Successive Figures) with 25 items in each and was found to have a KR-20 reliabiliry with fourth grade Ss of .80 (Rohr & Ayers, 1974). The test was modified for use in this study. The odd items of each part of the test were shown first to Ss for the regular period of presentation (4.25 sec.). The even items immediately followed for a duration of 8.50 sec. each. Metropolitan Achievement Test scores and Intelligence as measured by the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test or StanfordBinet Intelligence Scale Form L-M were obtained from each S s school records. Results indicated significantly increased performance by all groups on the Embedded Figures part of the test when the duration of stimulus presentation was increased. However, there were no significant increases in performances on the Successive Figures part of the test (Table 1 ) . The increase in scores on the Embedded Figures part of the test ranged from 1.8 for the fourth grade and special education groups to 2.6 for the first grade group. Thus, while over-all performance was increased, increases for all groups were approximately the same.
M.E. ROHR
&
J. B. AYERS
TABLE 1 MEANS,STANDARD DEVIATIONS AND t TESTSFOR MO~ION PICTURE TEST Tesc Embedded Figures 4.25 sec. exposure 8.50 sec. exposure Successive Figures 4.25 sec. exposure 8.50 sec. exposure tp
Grade 4
Grade 1 t
M
SD
4.5 2.6 7.1 2.9
3.49t
6.7 8.5
3.0 2.7
5.2 6.0
1.28
7.6 2.3 7.1 2.3
M
SD
2.2 2.4
Special Educ. t
M
SD
t
2.4
3.591
4.2
2.4 2.4
3.15t
0.87
4.7 5.7
2.6 2.4
1.68
< .01.
Correlational patterns of scores from the motion picture test with intelligence and achievement test scores were comparable to those reported by McDaniel (1973) and Rohr and Ayers ( 1974). The length of stimulus presentation appeared to have little effect on the relative level of performance on the motion picture test of Ss in Grades 1 or 4 or of Ss having known perceptual disabilities. Also, it appeared that increasing the length of stimulus presentation did not add to the value of the instrument as a screening device for the detection of perceptual disabilities. REFERENCES MCDANIEL, E. D. Ten motion picture tests of perceptual abilities. Perceptual and Motor Shills, 1973, 36, 755-759. ROHR. M. E., & AYERS.J. B. Motion-picture screening device for the identification of perceptual disabilities. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1974, 39, 347-352.
Accepted November 22, 1974.
