The effects of method of measurement upon children's performance on visual perceptual tasks

Sixty-four first-grade children of average or above intelligence who did not evidence visual perceptual dysfunction were administered a series of visual perceptual tasks. The tasks evaluated the skills of visual figure-ground perception and form discrimination and involved four methods of measurement of these abilities: tachistoscopic, untimed, naming, and recognition. Results indicated considerable method of measurement influence upon task performance. Implications of the results for both researchers and practitioners are discussed.