[Performance behaviour of the physically handicapped. Selected approaches and a comprehensive skeleton concept...

The article shows that psychology's current situation with its confusing variety of theories and methods and, accordingly, heterogeneous examination findings, is also reflected in the discussion about the performance behaviour of the physically handicapped. This fact made it necessary to apply different concepts of the so-called normal psychology to this particular field. On the basis of limited approaches which place organic impairments - perceptual disorders and motor disturbances due to organic brain damage - in the foreground, a description of other research lines is crried out, which not only permit the taking into account of the performance aspects, but also motivational, interpersonal and social viewpoints. The continuous expansion of this field of consideration results in a skeleton concept which encompasses the whole of the person-environment relations and not only individual and isolated fields. In this connection the methodical consequences of this concept, i.e., the attempt to create biotic study situations, are discussed. It is hoped that in the future such new psychological approaches will also assist in the practical study of problems of the physically handicapped.