Graduate Program
School Psychology
Degree Name
Specialist in School Psychology
Semester of Degree Completion
2012
Thesis Director
Morton Heller
Thesis Committee Member
Linda Leal
Thesis Committee Member
Margaret Floress
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the understanding of the horizontal and vertical in children with visual impairments compared to children who are sighted. A raised-line drawing kit was used both for subject responses and for production of stimuli. To test the understanding of the horizontal, subjects felt pictures of a jar at four tilts and were asked to draw the water line. To test the understanding of the vertical, subjects felt pictures of a mountain at four slopes and were asked to draw a telephone pole. Subjects also completed haptic multiple-choice versions of the tasks. It was hypothesized that if visual experience were helpful for acquiring an accurate understanding of spatial properties, than sighted children would have an advantage in the development of this cognitive ability when interpreting or drawing the vertical and horizontal using raised-line pictures. Participants' performance on the haptic horizontality and verticality tasks were assessed based on deviation scores from the correct horizontal or vertical, or the number correct on the multiple choice trials. The results indicated an advantage of blindfolded sighted children on the haptic multiple-choice water-level and mountain-pole tasks. In addition, when required to draw the correct horizontal (water line) or vertical (telephone pole), subjects' deviation scores were significantly influenced by the angle to which the jar was tilted, and the angle of the mountain slope. It is suggested that although visual experience is not critical for an eventual understanding of the horizontal and vertical concepts, it is helpful. The data are consistent with the conclusion that there may be a slight lag in the development of some spatial concepts, but this may depend on the response measure.
Recommended Citation
Schnarr, Rita E., "The development of horizontality and verticality in children with visual impairments" (2012). Masters Theses. 907.
https://thekeep.eiu.edu/theses/907
