Browsing by Author "San Miguel, Christopher L."
Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
- Results Per Page
- Sort Options
Item Learning potential approaches to the mentally retarded(1976) San Miguel, Christopher L.; Millham, Jim; Johnson, Dale L.; Rouce, Sandra; McKee, Gordon W.An analysis of current assessment approaches being employed with the Mentally Retarded revealed serious conceptual and pragmatic limitations. A new method of assessing learning abilities (Learning Potential Method), developed by Budoff, relies on sampling actual learning behavior as contrasted with the usual performance measures of ability. The potential usefulness of this approach for assessing the Mentally Retarded was analyzed. The present study extended the Learning Potential Method to include a measure of learning on a Paired-Associate task as well as on the usual perceptual-organization task (Kohs Blocks). In addition, measures of Verbal, Performance, and Full Scale IQ were obtained in order to evaluate the comparative effectiveness of the Learning Potential Method in predicting adjustment and competence in the vocational and residential environment. Finally, the study was the first to employ a representative sample of adult retarded in evaluating the Learning Potential assessment approach. The results indicated that the Learning Potential approach could not be extended easily to include a verbal task such as Paired-Associate learning but that it was possible to identify individual differences among the retarded in acquisition of a general strategy of problem solution on the Kohs task. However, such differences in acquisition of a problem solving strategy proved unrelated to differences in vocational competence as measured by type of employment (competitive-noncompetitive) and by salary received (% of minimum wage). It was also not positively related to adjustment in the residential environment as measured by ratings on the AA1ID Adaptive Behavior Scale. The IQ measures were found once again to be ineffective indicators of differences in competence and adjustment among the Mentally Retarded. The need for competency based and criterion validated measures of adaptive functioning among the retarded was discussed.Item The effects of attitudes toward homosexuality, induced similarity toward and type of contact with homosexual and heterosexual targets upon aggression(1974) San Miguel, Christopher L.; Millham, Jim; McCary, James L.; McKee, Gordon W.The present study investigated the relationship of various moderator variables to aggression against homosexual targets. Expressed attitudes toward homosexuality, type of prior contact with the target person, and perceived similarity to the target were employed as the moderator variables. It was hypothesized that aggression would be greater toward homosexual than toward heterosexual targets, and that subjects with expressed negative attitudes would aggress more against homosexual targets. It was also hypothesized that a prior positive contact between subject and target would result in less aggression than negative contact or no prior contact. It was expected that perceived similarity toward a heterosexual target would result in less aggression than perceived dissimilarity. As a result of personal threat, however, when the target was homosexual induced similarity was expected to increase aggression. Subjects were male undergraduate volunteers. Negative and neutral attitude subjects were chosen from those scoring in the upper and lower quartile on the Homosexuality Attitude Scale (HAS). Aggression took the form of negative evaluation of the target person’s interviewing abilities and consequent loss of money to the target person. It was found that subjects aggressed more against the homosexual targets than the heterosexual targets. It was also found that subjects similar to a heterosexual aggressed less than if made to feel dissimilar. However, if the target was homosexual, subjects aggressed equally highly regardless of the similarity or dissimilarity. Subjects indicating a negative attitude toward homosexuality aggressed more against the similar than the dissimilar homosexual target and less against the similar than the dissimilar heterosexual target. Subjects with neutral attitudes were unaffected by the similarity condition with both homosexual and heterosexual targets. Subjects with negative attitudes aggressed highly against homosexual targets regardless of type of prior interaction. Subjects with neutral attitudes attenuated aggression against homosexual targets in the positive prior interaction condition. They did, however, aggress more against a homosexual target after negative interaction than a heterosexual target.