Great discussion as usual. Some of us will just have to agree to disagree. Polarbear was correct that level of ability among other issues factor into the end result. However, I was simply looking at the big overall picture/trend. For the record, I was not limiting processing speed to reading speed, but that is one of the most basic measures that everyone can easily witness. I was not claiming that processing speed was MORE important that verbal/perceptual reasoning ability. Furthermore, given a number of the posts that did not find value in processing speed, I should emphasize that I was looking at high ability and fast, not moderate ability but fast. DS was not an example of fast processing speed coupled with relatively lower verbal/perceptual reasoning ability. If anything, his verbal/perceptual reasoning ability exceeds his processing speed. My point was that his fast processing speed is a gift that keeps on giving, by continually giving him a leg up. Reading quickly also does not mean that you will fail to understand, retain, or synthesize the information just as reading slowly does not guarantee that you will understand, retain or synthesize the information.
I can think of many careers where slow processing speed would not be an impediment. However, based on my own particular career choices, processing speed has definitely been an asset even if it has not been the most important one. Sometimes the one who gets in the first word also gets in the last word and wins by default. Sometimes the first one who offers a good solution gets all the credit.
Anyhow, the effects of high processing speed amazes me. For example, DS at age 6 was able to read Harry Potter fluently with comprehension while still unable to reliably differentiate his b/d and p/q. His teacher who had just completed her training as a reading specialist, thought that DS was speed reading in a faster but less common way by processing information in halves instead of thirds.
Last edited by Quantum2003; 11/19/14 04:44 PM.
