It is hard for most of us to even imagine being locked in a bedroom for thirteen years ?strapped too potty chair and being physically abused. Unfortunately, social isolation, such as this, does affect many innocent children. Studies have proven that social isolation can have devastating effects on a child’s life. A feral child, referred to as Genie, spent nearly the first thirteen years of her life locked in a bedroom strapped too potty chair. She was a victim of one of the most severe cases of social isolation in U. S. History. Genie wasn’t allowed to speak, as her ether would beat her if she would make any noise.
On November 4, 1970, she was rescued by authorities and taken to Children’s Hospital in Los Angles. Hospital staff hoped it wasn’t too late to nurture her back to normality. Genie had inhuman characteristics, as she was nearly entirely silent and had developed a “bunny walk”. Scientists questioned whether these characteristics were due to the isolation or whether she had been born with them. According to the book?society in Focus by William E. Thompson and Joseph V. Hickey, heredity and environment both play a vital position in human development (2011 p. 86).
Genie’s case closely relates to another situation involving social isolation in the late sass’s. Victor of Everyone (also known as the “Wild Boy of Everyone”) was also a feral child who lived majority of his childhood naked and alone in the woods. There are a few similarities as well as differences regarding Genie and Victor. Both children were kindly accepted into society and were given a great amount of sympathy. Researchers and scientists became possibly too engaged in “studying” both cases. One difference is the fact that while Genie learned to talk at a low capability, Victor never really acquired a language.
Also, scientists didn’t have the knowledge and development techniques to use on Victor as they did with Genie. Genie’s case, as well as Victor’s, proves that colonization plays a key role in learning, developing communication skills, and developing motor skills. There are six major agents of colonization which include: the family, the school, religion, peers, the workplace, and mass media (Thompson and Hickey 2011 p. 89). Being locked in a roomed for majority of her childhood, Genie wasn’t able to experience these agents, which explains why she had a “bunny walk” and no vocabulary.
NOAA Chomsky believed that all people had innate knowledge of the grammar of their native language. He concluded that when an infant began speaking, they automatically produced utterances that were grammatical in their native language. Eric Lundeberg theory stated that the human brain has a critical period to learn and develop the first language. He believed the critical period was between two and thirteen and after that specific age span; the brain loses its flexibility to acquire more of the first language. Genie’s case somewhat proved Lundeberg theory wrong, considering she did make significant progress after the age of thirteen.
However, even with years of intense language therapy, she was not able to fully acquire normal language skills. After Genie was discovered, several scientists were very curious and eager to study her. Through years of special training and rehabilitation, she was observed and repeatedly tested. The National Institute to Mental Health issued a grant tort research to one scientist, David Rigger. However, the grant was cut off in 1974 because the institute felt research was being done in an unprofessional manner. Genie was returned to the custody of her mother n 1975 and then she was put in six additional foster homes after that.
The research team was sued by Genie’s mother for outrageous and excessive testing. The case was dismissed in 1984. There is still debate on whether or not Genie was exploited for economic and personal benefits. Personally, I think the scientists had a genuine concern for Genie and actually wanted to improve her life, while expanding their understanding of language development. Some of the testing may have been excessive, but regardless, the researchers and scientists made a positive difference in the life of the feral child, Genie.
