Effect of peer interaction on the problem-solving behavior of mentally retarded youths

Educable mentally retarded young adults were given a one-bit logic problem (Experiment 1) or a test of conservation (Experiment 2) and classified as either low or high performers. In a second session the low performers were paired with high performers, and the dyads were required to agree on the solution to the problems presented. A control group of low performers was simply tested individually in a second session. One month later all the low performers were retested on the same logic problems or on an alternate form of the conservation test. No significant differences were observed in Experiment 1. In Experiment 2, the conservation scores of subjects who participated in the peer interaction were higher than those of controls on the posttest; however, based on responses to the lie item, we concluded that the experimental subjects had simply learned to respond "same" and to parrot a verbal statement. No such mimicking was possible in the logic problem. Results suggest that peer interaction is not a particularly effective method for enhancing the problem-solving ability of mentally retarded individuals.