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Stimulus overselectivity and
observing behavior in mental retardation. William V. Dube and William J. Mcilvane E. K. Shriver Center for Mental Retardation, USA Stimulus overselectivity is a widely acknowledged problem in the education of individuals with developmental disabilities such as mental retardation and autism. Overselectivity refers to stimulus control that is atypically limited with respect to range, breadth, or number of stimuli or stimulus features. We have developed a laboratory model of overselectivity using delayed matching to sample with multiple sample stimuli. For example, matching problems may be constructed so that high accuracy scores require attending to two sample stimuli on every trial. Overselectivity is shown by intermediate accuracy, indicating that the participant can match one but not both of the sample stimuli. The laboratory also includes an eye tracking apparatus that allows direct evaluation of observing behavior. We asked whether overselectivity in our laboratory model was accompanied by deficient observing behavior. Results of eye tracking sessions with five individuals with mental retardation showed that in each case overselectivity was accompanied by failure to observe all of the relevant stimuli. Further, behavioral interventions that produced exhaustive observing behavior immediately eliminated overselectivity. Keywords: mental retardation, stimulus overselectivity, stimulus control, observing behavior, eye movements |
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