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The Usefulness of the Semantic Differential with ‘Mild Grade’ Mental Defectives

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

M. G. T. Dow ,
F. Ledwith ,
W. I. Fraser  and
M. Bhagat
M. G. T. Dow
Affiliation:
Clinical Psychology Department, Gartnavel Royal Hospital, Glasgow, G12
F. Ledwith
Affiliation:
St. Andrews University, St. Andrews
W. I. Fraser
Affiliation:
Lynebank Hospital, Dunfermline, Fife and Department of Rehabilitation Studies, University of Edinburgh
M. Bhagat
Affiliation:
Airedale General Hospital, Keighley, Yorkshire
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Summary

Although the semantic differential has been quite widely used with mental defectives, its usefulness (in its traditional form) with such a population has not been conclusively demonstrated.

The semantic differential was developed and shown to be valid as an index of representational mediation processes. However, there is also evidence of a mediational deficiency among retardates which, therefore, ought to be reflected in retardates' responses to the semantic differential. Thus, the present study was designed to test two hypotheses: (a) that mild grade retardates, in comparison with subjects of average intelligence, would show less discrimination in the use of the semantic differential, and (b) that such discriminative deficiencies would in turn predispose toward a polarized response bias among the retarded.

The results, which supported both hypotheses, are discussed in terms of their implications for the usefulness of an unmodified semantic differential with the mentally subnormal.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 127 , Issue 4 , October 1975 , pp. 386 - 392
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1975 

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