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Genie Wiley Case Study Psychology

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On November 4, 1970 thirteen year-old Genie Wiley was rescued from a life of extreme

neglect. She wore diapers when they rescued her, as she spent her days locked away in a dark

room, strapped to a training potty. Genies’ nights were spent tied up in a sleeping bag within a

crib enclosed with chicken wire. Beyond all of that, Genies’ father forbade the rest of the Wiley

family from speaking to her. It was also apparent that she had been beaten for making noise. As a

result, Genie had not learned to speak and initially remained silent. Considering case was so rare,

Genie provided the perfect opportunity to research the validity of a hypothesis which stated that

“young children can only learn certain things at certain times called critical periods” …show more content…

Furthermore, a brain study done while she slept showed abnormal brain activity indicative of mental retardation. Strangely enough, this did not correlate with evidence that her mental development progressed every year. All of these experiments led to future research involving brain scans which revealed that the left part of the brain cortex had shrunk and disconnected due to lack of stimulation. It was also revealed that the brains of feral children were shrunken and malformed. It was also apparent that the severity of this malformation directly correlated with the age of the child at which the neglect began, and length of time the abuse went on. While Genies’ story is tragic, her case greatly improved scientific understanding of the human brain as it relates to basic childhood development and the need for human interaction. It also helped to show that gaining skills during the critical periods is indeed necessary to at least learn language. Furthermore, the research helped scientists understand brain formation and how neglect affects that process. Finally, the end of Genies’ story showed that even in the face of extreme neglect it is possible to achieve some level of

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What evidence from the Genie Wiley case supports both the nurture and the nature points of view regarding language development? (3 points) Genie Wiley’s case helps support both sides of the nurture vs nature debate. The fact that she learned to talk after more than 10 years of confinement helps support the nature side because proves that she has the ability to communicate in her genes.

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“Secret of the Wild Child” is about the experiences and development of a child that was in solitary confinement for thirteen years. Genie was the name they pinned on the child due to the similarities of being kept in isolation, then suddenly brought out to human society. During the first few months of life, children need to be exposed to other humans who will care and love for them because this creates a set of ideas and attitudes about who they are as independent beings (Brym et al. 2015,96). Genie’s isolation raised the question whether it was too late for her self image to emerge.

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She was also beaten by her abusive father if she attempted to make a noise (Curtiss, 1977). Genie underwent extensive training and tutoring to be taught language. While Genie’s vocabulary expanded greatly, and she adopted the ability to form fluid and plausible sentences, she did not manage to master the comprehension of syntax and the grammatical rules of language. Children however naturally grasp the context of syntax without formal teachings of it. This study therefore supports the argument that children acquire language easier during the initial stages of their life.

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