Psychology

1. HEREDITY

→ This is represented by the genes transmitted from

parents to offspring at the moment of conception.

Heredity can affect intelligence only directly. The

presence or absence of certain chemicals in the

genes influences the development of brain, glands,

and other organs which provide minimum physical

prerequisites for intelligent behavior.

2. ENVIRONMENT

→ This is represented by all thestimuli that the individual isexposed to from conception todeath. It includes such variablesas food, air, attitudes of one’sassociates, the social climate ofthe school, and the home, someforms of mental deficiency canbe traced to chemical orphysical deficiencies in the pre-natal development.

3. SEX

→ The influence of sex onpsychological functions maybe either direct or indirect.The direct relation isillustrated in the relation ofmale sex hormones toaggressive behavior. Theindirect relation is illustratedin the educational and socialeffects of the developmentacceleration of girls.

4. CULTURE

→ Cultural influence on intelligenceis illustrated in the variations in sexroles found in the differentsocieties and historical periods.

5. SOCIO-ECONOMIC

DIFFERENCES

→ This is illustrated in intelligence scores fromoccupational groups. Not only do men differ inaverage intelligence scores but correspondingdifferences are also found when children areclassified according to the occupation of theirfathers.

6. RACE

→ The relation of race tointelligence is stillcontroversial. Evidencepoints to experiential ratherthan biological or racialcausation. This is becausecomparisons of groups ofwidely diversebackgrounds show that anyintelligence test tends tofavor the culture withinwhich the test developed.

7. GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION

→ Slight differences are noted in the level ofintelligence in various sectors of the countryalthough urban children have slight superiorityover rural ones.

→ The term “mentally – retarded” has been used to

designate 1. The feebleminded: the moron, the

imbecile, and the idiot; 2. Amentia (lack of

intelligence); 3. Oligophrenia (mentally deficient).

The term refers to children who have a combination of

medical, social, maturational, physical and educational

problems rather than a single clinical symptom.

→ The term also has been used to designate to children

below average in one or more of the following areas:

1. Rate of maturation in early childhood of such

skills as crawling, standing, walking, talking and

training in useful habits;

2. Learning ability, especially in school; 3. Social

adjustment – ability to be independent and to earn a

living.

THREE LEVELS IN

ACCORDANCE WITH IQ LEVEL

AND THE DEGREE OF SOCIAL

ADJUSTMENT

1. MORON (EDUCABLE)

The IQ level is between 50-70 and the MA is about 12 years of maturity.

They may learn to read, write, print or do simple arithmetic but may not progress beyond the 4th grade no matter how long they stay in school.

They are capable of becoming self-sustaining.

They cannot manage their lives without supervision.

2. IMBECILE (TRAINABLE)

The IQ level is between 25-50 and their MA is not more than 7 years at the maximum at maturity.

They are able to walk, to have clean bodily habits, to communicate their needs, and are responsive to simple commands.

They do not usually learn to read or compute.

They are semi-dependent.

They often have physical disabilities.

3. IDIOTS (COSTUDIAL OR

SEVERELY RETARDED)

The IQ of this group is below 25 or 30

and the MA is about that of a 3-year

old child.

They must be cared for and no

amount of training will make them

independent, or self-supporting

citizens.

They cannot attend to his personal

needs nor can he protect himself even

from the most ordinary dangers.

CLINICAL TYPES

OF

MENTAL RETARDATION

A. THE PRIMARY OR ENDOGENOUS TYPE

1. FAMILIAL MENTAL DEFICIENCY

→ The cause is not traceable to anyorganic or environmental factor.Mental retardation can be tracedin the family, the parents usuallybelow-average in intelligence.


2. AMAUROTIC FAMILY IDIOCY

→ This is a rare type of severemental deficiency accompanied byamaurosis (loss of sight due todiseases of the optic nerve, butwithout changes in the eyestructure). It is a disease of thenervous system appearing after anapparently normal growth and canoccur in infancy, in childhood oradolescence.


3. PHENYLPYRUVIC

OLIGOPHRENIA

→ This disease is frequently calledPhenylketonuria or PKU and is dueto a change in a catalyst called anenzyme produced by the bodywhich normally converts the aminoacod phenylalanine (PA) intotyrosine.

B. SECONDARY MENTAL DEFICIENCY

1. PRE-NATAL

INFLUENCES

a) Mongolism

→a congenital defectcharacterized bydeficiency inintelligence, usually atthe imbecilic level andphysical abnormalitieswith a Mongoloidappearance (slant eyes,


1. PRE-NATAL INFLUENCES

b) Cretinism

→ This is a conditionresulting from thyroidinsufficiency in childhoodand characterized bysevere mental retardation,patchy hair, protrudingabdomen, dwarfed stature,thick eyelids, dry skin.



c) Microcephaly (small head)

→ Microcephalics areusually idiots or imbeciles. The cause is attributedto interrupted orincomplete braindevelopment, ormeningitis or encephalitisduring gestation.



d) Macrocephaly (enlargedhead)

→ There is an abnormalenlargement of the headcorrelated with mentaldeficiency. Theenlargement is believed tobe caused by an out-growthof the glia cells-supportingstructures which do not



e) Hydrocephaly→ This is due to an abnormal

condition resulting from anobstruction in the brain’sventricular system causing amarked excess of the fluid,pressing both inward andoutward, the collection ofcerebrospinal fluid in thecranium enlarging the skulland damaging the brain.


2. Paranatal Influences (Birth Trauma)

a) Cerebral hemorrhage due todifficult labor, accidents orimproper handling of the infant;

b) Anoxia (oxygen deficit) causingdelayed breathing of the infant;

c) Toxemias of pregnancy;

d) Mechanical injury of the brain inthe process of birth (use of forcepsor sunctions)


2. Paranatal Influences (Birth Trauma)

e) Premature separation of theplacenta or cord complications. Thesymptoms and disabilities alsocorrespond to the degree of braininjury.


3. Post – natal Influences

a) Severe infective diseases in infancylike meningitis and encephalitiscausing brain inflammation, chickenpox, mumps, whooping cough,influenza;

b) Head injuries which may impair thesensory and motor facultieslowering mental performance,causing perceptual disturbances andcausing difficulties in abstract

C. SPECIAL TYPES

1. Idiot - Servant

→ is a mentally deficient person with ahighly specialized talent in some areasuch as rapid calculation, memory orthe execution of music.

2. Pseudo - feebleminded

→ is more of an emotional disorderrather than of mental retardation.The term (pseudo-feeble minded” hasbeen used because individuals in thiscategory react with stupid behavior,manifest lack of interest in work or inambition and reacts with extremewithdrawal from fear, failure orcriticism.

TREATMENT

OF

THE SUBNORMAL

1. MEDICAL THERAPY

Includes surgery and diet therapy in

hydrocephaly and cretinism respectively.

Thyroid hormones when administered

early in life may prevent physical

malformations and intellectual defects in

cretins. Thyroid therapy mat also help

mongolism. The use of glandular therapy

is still in the experimentation stage.

2. PSYCHOTHERAPY

Frustrations resulting from the limited

abilities of the mentally retarded

sometimes result anxieties and aggressive

behavior. Nonverbal media of

communication as drawing, finger

painting and modeling have been found

useful with the mentally defectives

especially because of the poor linguistics

abilities of this group.

3. TRAINING

This is conducted in institutions, in

specially-organized school classes or in

the child’s own home. The lower- grade

types are taught self-care, muscular

coordination, perceptual discrimination,

and other simple requirements of daily

living.

The concept of “Giftedness” is as varied

as the limits of IQ used.

1. IQ of about 130 and above;

2. The usually talented or creative;

3. The academically superior; and

4. Those who get high scores in IQ tests.

Robert Havighurst says, “The talented or

the gifted child is the who shows

consistently remarkable performance in

any worthwhile line of endeavor- those

who show promise in music, the graphic

arts, creative writing, dramatics,

mechanical skills, and social leadership.”

Lea S Hollingworth defines the term as

“The top 1% of the juvinile population in

general intelligence.

Robert Havighurst says, “The talented or

the gifted child is the who shows

consistently remarkable performance in

any worthwhile line of endeavor- those

who show promise in music, the graphic

arts, creative writing, dramatics,

mechanical skills, and social leadership.”

a) Teachers’ judgement

b) Clasmmates’ judgement

c) Standardized Test

d) Group and individual tests

e) School grades

IDENTIFICATION OF THE GIFTED

Psychology

Education

level of intelligence

intelligence test

average intelligence

iq level

amentia lack of intelligence

social effects

social climate

influence of sex