Abstract
The chapter discusses the inspection time in relation to theoretical developments bearing upon attempts to measure rate of perceptual processing and within the context of a perceptual discrimination theory that incorporates the temporal accumulation of evidence as a basic information-processing operation. The relevance of this construct to the study of retarded functioning is outlined. The chapter describes different methods for estimating inspection time, but principally describes a backward masking procedure, which limits the duration of sensory information processing. Under this procedure, an estimate (λ) is defined operationally as the minimum exposure duration at which discrimination in an easy task is virtually error-free. The chapter reviews several studies comparing λ for mildly retarded and nonretarded persons, which have invariably demonstrated a marked deficiency among retarded adults, equivalent to a lag in mental age (MA) of at least 4 years. Experiments suggest that, particularly among retarded persons, functioning reflecting preliminary orientation is improved by practice. However, postregistration processing among retarded persons is more resistant to influence, as indicated by unsuccessful attempts to improve performance by practice and the modification of response requirements.
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