Development of Piagetian Reasoning in Congenitally Blind Children

Abstract

Reports two phases of a research study that, through use of Piagetian reasoning assessments, provided evidence of significant delays in the cognitive development of congenitally blind subjects in comparison to development in sighted subjects. Following this finding, an attempt was made to ameloriate these deficits through a training program that provided reasoning activities geared to the needs of individual congenitally blind subjects. The results indicated that after provision of developmentally appropriate experiences in reasoning, the performance of the blind subjects was equivalent to that of the sighted subjects.