Effects of stimulus probability on encoding by mentally retarded and nonretarded persons
Maisto, A.A.; Sipe, S.
American Journal of Mental Deficiency 84(6): 577-581
1980
ISSN/ISBN: 0002-9351 PMID: 7377229 Document Number: 162659
A choice reaction-time experiment was performed in which probe stimulus probability and probe stimulus quality were orthogonally manipulated. Subjects were retarded and nonretarded junior high school students. The stimuli were random forms presented at 4 probability levels to assess the effect of stimulus probability on the encoding process. The retarded subjects appeared to be less sensitive than did the nonretarded subjects to stimulus-probability information, particularly under degraded stimulus conditions. The relative sensitivity of retarded and nonretarded persons to stimulus-probability information and the effect of such information on the encoding process were discussed.