Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jn8rn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T12:55:16.908Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Reading ability and brain function: a simple statistical model

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

A. E. Maxwell
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London
P. B. C. Fenwick
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London
G. W. Fenton
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London
J. Dollimore
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London

Sysnopsis

This report is concerned with a simple statistical model of the way the brain may function, suggested by the analysis of intelligence test results in two groups of children. The model describes the statistical behaviour of an ideal array of elements, representing the brain, during tests of cognitive ability. Predictions from the model indicate that comparison of the EEC recording taken from groups of children who were good or poor readers would show amplitude differences. These were found between the groups when the eyes were open but not when the eyes were closed–a result explained by the model.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1974

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Cooper, R., Winter, A. L., Crow, H. J., and Walter, W. G. (1965). Comparison of subcortical, cortical and scalp activity using chronically indwelling electrodes in man. Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology, 18, 217228.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Creutzfeldt, O., Grünewald, G., Simonova, O., and Schmilz, H. (1969). Changes of the basic rhythms of the EEG during the performance of mental and visuomotor tasks, in Attention in Neurophysiology, pp. 148168. Edited by Evans, C. R. and Mulholland, T. B.. Butterworths: London.Google Scholar
Elul, R. (1972). Randomness and synchrony in the generation of the electroencephalogram, in Synchronization of the EEG Activity in the Epilepsies, pp. 5977. Edited by Petsche, H. and Brazier, M. A. B.. Springer: Berlin.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kreitman, N., and Shaw, J. C. (1965). Experimental enhancement of alpha activity. Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology, 18, 147155.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lawley, D. N., and Maxwell, A. E. (1971). Factor Analysis as a Statistical Method, 2nd ed.Butterworths: London.Google Scholar
Maxwell, A. E. (1972a). The WPPS1: a marked discrepancy in the correlations of the subtests for good and poor readers. British Journal of Mathematical Statistics and Psychology, 25, 283291.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Maxwell, A. E. (1972b). Factor analysis: Thomson's sampling theory recalled. British Journal of Mathematical Statistics and Psychology, 25, 121.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rutter, M., Tizard, J., and Whitmore, K. (eds.) (1970). Education, Health and Behaviour. Longman: London.Google Scholar