Operant Preference of Retarded and Normal Males for Rate of Narration

Abstract

This study investigated the listening rate preferences of retarded and normal boys. A story was recorded at the 180 wpm rate and modified by a speech compressor-expander mechanism to obtain additional rates of 90, 120, 240, and 360 wpm. These rates were paired throughout several sessions and simultaneously offered to each S. By programing these stimuli by conjugate reinforcement, the investigator was able to obtain continuous data relevant to each S’s preference for a particular speed of speech. The results disclosed that of the normal boys, 5 preferred the 180 (normal) wpm rate, 3 the 240 wpm rate, and 1 the 120 wpm rate. Of the retarded boys, 1 chose the 360 wpm rate, 3 the 240 wpm rate, 2 the 120 wpm rate, and 3 the 90 wpm rate, all rejecting the normal speech rate. Data from one retarded and one normal boy were inconclusive in so far as establishing a specific preference.