[Universal time constants in movements of deaf-blind children]

Most human movements are structured in units consisting of a few seconds. This phenomenon may be based upon an inherent central nervous rhythm. The question of this study was whether the movements of children born deaf and blind are structured in a similar way. On a film cutting table, 233 movements were analyzed frame by frame. It could be confirmed that the movements of deaf and blind children were also structured in temporal units. Differences with non-handicapped, however, consist in the fact that these units were shorter and more stereotypic repetitions occurred. The present data are discussed in connection with the processing of momentary information in short term memory and the self stimulation by those deprived of hearing and sight.