Intelligent Chat: Genie

Story of "Genie"

Genie is one of the most sever cases of social isolation. Born in the 70's (I think) her father, being mentally unstable and having a history of paranoia and violent outbursts, decided that she was retarded at birth and had her tied to a 'potty chair' in a room containing a crib, lamp, and window with closed curtains 24/7, her entire life. As far as investigators know, "genie" was never in her life let out of that room until officials discovered her.
Anyway, the only human contact she ever had was when her mother came in to feed her. She was suspected to have been beaten when she cried or made noise, because even after numerous attempts and experiments to communicate with her she hardly ever vocalized.
After years of trying to teach Genie how to communicate, she only managed some basic words, hardly recognizable, and her pitches and tones were completely off balance. Psychologists say this is because she missed the "critical period" in her life for brain development. That is, the most important time in a child's life to learn basic education. Psychologists say that if a child's education is neglected passed this point, they will never develop anything passed the mental capacity of (per say) a four year old.
Genie was found at 13 by the way

You guys have probably heard of the Genie story, so you probably also know the question that psychologists have yet to figure out over 30 or so years of research:
Was Genie ever actually mentally retarded, or was her isolation from the world responsible for her mental block? And is (I forget whose theory it was) the theory of "the critical period" accurate in your opinion?

I don't think it is really possible to know, until we know some more of the physical traits of mental retardation. If some sort of physical flaw could show that she was mentally disabled, then that would prove it. But without a control case, and without statistically significant experimental data, I don't think you can assume much of anything.

Ismail: I honestly have no idea if the parents used any sort of communication with their daughter, but if they did it wouldn't have been near enough the amount of time needed to develop an understanding of human language. She wasn't kept in the dark the entire time she was in the room because authorities found a lamp. I also believe there was a window but if there was it was definitely covered by blinds or curtains at all hours.

I actually found this a year ago or so. Poor kid, I personally think that her mental block was developed durning the time of neglect.

i read about that a few weeks ago in the library. in that same magazine was an article about a mother who poisoned and killed her daughter for losing her virginity... what is this world coming to??