Early-Blind Subjects' Spatial Representation of Manipulatory Space: Exploratory Strategies and Reaction to Change

The present study was aimed at analysing the effects of a lack of visual experience in human subjects on the detection and identification of a spatial change brought about to a configuration of objects displayed in manipulatory space. Exploratory patterns and performance levels were recorded. Learning effects were observed in different types of change and condition of presentation only in the early-blind and blindfolded sighted groups, but not in the late-blind group. Early blindness affected both exploratory patterns and performance levels. In addition, significant correlations were found between performance level and the use of systematic patterns of exploration. These data are discussed in relation with the importance of early vision during the development of spatial cognition.

[1]  P.O. Barber,et al.  Encoding Direction in Manipulatory Space and the Role of Visual Experience , 1988 .

[2]  J. Rieser,et al.  How Persons with Visual Impairments Explore Novel Spaces: Strategies of Good and Poor Performers , 1993 .

[3]  J. M. Tellevik.  Influence of Spatial Exploration Patterns on Cognitive Mapping by Blindfolded Sighted Persons , 1992 .

[4]  J. Rieser,et al.  Visual experience, visual field size, and the development of nonvisual sensitivity to the spatial structure of outdoor neighborhoods explored by walking. , 1992, Journal of experimental psychology. General.

[5]  M. Brambring.  The structure of haptic space in the blind and sighted , 1976, Psychological research.

[6]  A. Everett,et al.  Orientation and Mobility Techniques: A Guide for the Practitioner , 1976 .

[7]  David H. Warren,et al.  Intermodality interactions in spatial localization , 1970 .

[8]  D. H. Warren.  Early vs. Late Vision: The Role of Early Vision in Spatial Reference Systems , 1974 .

[9]  Location and Distance Estimates by Blind and Sighted Children , 1975, The Quarterly journal of experimental psychology.

[10]  J. F. Herman,et al.  Cognitive Mapping in Blind People: Acquisition of Spatial Relationships in a Large-Scale Environment , 1983 .

[11]  M A Heller.  Tactile Memory in Sighted and Blind Observers: The Influence of Orientation and Rate of Presentation , 1989, Perception.

[12]  G. S. Marmor,et al.  Mental rotation by the blind: does mental rotation depend on visual imagery? , 1976, Journal of experimental psychology. Human perception and performance.

[13]  J M Kennedy,et al.  Perspective taking, pictures, and the blind , 1990, Perception & psychophysics.

[14]  C. Thinus-Blanc,et al.  Representation of space in blind persons: vision as a spatial sense? , 1997, Psychological bulletin.

[15]  C. Cornoldi,et al.  Individual differences in the capacity limitations of visuospatial short-term memory: Research on sighted and totally congenitally blind people , 1991, Memory & cognition.

[16]  Y. Rossetti,et al.  Early visual experience affects memorization and spatial representation of proprioceptive targets , 1996, Neuroreport.

[17]  Steven M. Casey,et al.  Cognitive Mapping by the Blind , 1978 .

[18]  J. Rieser,et al.  Sensitivity to Perspective Structure While Walking without Vision , 1986, Perception.

[19]  S. Millar.  Understanding and Representing Space: Theory and Evidence from Studies with Blind and Sighted Children , 1994 .

[20]  S J Lederman,et al.  Exploring environments by hand or foot: time-based heuristics for encoding distance in movement space. , 1987, Journal of experimental psychology. Learning, memory, and cognition.

[21]  Janet F. Fletcher.  Spatial Representation in Blind Children. 3: Effects of Individual Differences , 1981 .

[22]  P. Carpenter,et al.  Mental rotation and the frame of reference in blind and sighted individuals , 1978, Perception & psychophysics.

[23]  Mark Holllns,et al.  Spatial updating in blind and sighted people , 1988, Perception & psychophysics.

[24]  C. Thinus-Blanc,et al.  Early-Blind Subjects' Spatial Abilities in the Locomotor Space: Exploratory Strategies and Reaction-to-Change Performance , 1996, Perception.

[25]  R. Klatzky,et al.  Nonvisual navigation by blind and sighted: assessment of path integration ability. , 1993, Journal of experimental psychology. General.

[26]  A. Dodds.  Mental Rotation and Visual Imagery , 1983 .

[27]  R L Klatzky,et al.  Spatial and movement-based heuristics for encoding pattern information through touch. , 1985, Journal of experimental psychology. General.

[28]  W. Cleaves,et al.  Spatial Memory for Configurations by Congenitally Blind, Late Blind, and Sighted Adults , 1979 .

[29]  H. Rouanet,et al.  COMPARISON BETWEEN TREATMENTS IN A REPEATED‐MEASUREMENT DESIGN: ANOVA AND MULTIVARIATE METHODS , 1970 .