Spatial Memory for Configurations by Congenitally Blind, Late Blind, and Sighted Adults

Abstract

Congenitally and late blinded and blindfolded sighted adults were compared on their ability to point to locations on simple finger T-mazes without following the previously learned maze path. Localization responses were obtained for maze images that were veridical and for imagined rotation transformations of the mazes. The error in absolute spatial displacement to the correct maze locations was consistently greater for the congenitally blind subjects than for the other groups. The earlier the late blinded subjects had lost sight and the longer they had been blind the higher was their spatial displacement error. A calibration model of the effects of early visual reafferance experience and later nonvisual experience is explored.