Perception and Visual Memory of School-Age Eskimos and Athabascan Indians in Alaskan Villages.

The purpose of this study was to determine if Alaskan Native students approach the classroom with a pattern of learning processes different from that of students from the dominant urban Caucasian culture. Population samples were extracted on the basis of 1,736 tests administered to individuals, aged 8 through 47 years, residing in Alaska. Specific data treated in the study were from students (aged 9-16 years) in 8 schools representing 4 ethnic groups: Caucasian, Negro, Eskimo (Inupik), and Indian (Athabascan). Two hypotheses were tested: (1) that Alaskan Natives (Eskimos, Aleuts, and Indians) possess greater ability than the dominant Caucasian culture to perform tasks associated with perception and visual memory and this greater skill can be measured and interpreted for application to enhance formal learning of students and (2) that the "Squiggle Test" can be administered successfully in the group or classroom setting for the purpose of rapidly identifying individuals with subtle impairments to learning which may otherwise remain undetected and untreated. Support was obtained for both hypotheses tested. Included in the document are conclusions, recommendations for further research, a copy of the Squiggle Test, and statistical tables. (EJ)