Genie the wild Child and Dugard Essay Example

to her secluded upbringing, resembling a genie released from a bottle into society. She had limited exposure to the external world.

Genie, a thirteen-year-old girl, was discovered in California on November 4th, 1970 by a social worker. This individual noticed something amiss with Genie's appearance and became concerned. As a result, the social worker took action and initiated an investigation into Genie's living situation. Disturbing news emerged from this investigation as it was revealed that Genie had been confined to a small room with minimal light for thirteen years. Furthermore, she had been tied to a potty seat enduring this treatment and abuse.

Genie's only interaction was with her father, who sometimes brought her food, and her mother, who silently stood behind him. Because she lacked social and physical experiences, Genie is unable to communicate or engage with others due to missing out on important developmental stages. This situation highlights the ongoing Nature vs. Nurture debate, illustrating how Genie's upbringing was shaped by nurture and the significant impact of isolation during her crucial thirteen years.

Genie was discovered in a state of great fear and unfamiliarity with acts of kindness and assistance. This fear stemmed from the consistent physical abuse inflicted by her father whenever she made any sound, causing her to become mute as a means of coping with the mistreatment. Her early experiences taught her that communicating with others would result in punishment, aligning with behaviorism's nurture aspect.

Due to Genie's age as a teenager, it was believed that teaching her language would be an incredibly challenging task, as her cognitive abilities resembled those of a one-year-old trapped in the body of a thirteen-year-old.

Despite having a limited

vocabulary and an inability to form sentences, she had to learn like a child, acquiring one word at a time. The teaching process targeted specific areas like toilet usage, basic tasks such as dressing herself, and independent eating. Although these tasks may appear mundane for children, they were crucial for her development as a thirteen-year-old since she was previously unable to perform them.

Genie demonstrated rapid progress in certain areas, behaving like a typical child when playing outside. However, she was still afraid of speaking to unfamiliar people, preferring nonverbal communication. As Genie's social skills and language abilities improved daily, psychologists pondered whether her behavior was influenced by her environment or if genetics also played a role. Ultimately, this question revolves around the age-old debate of nature versus nurture.

The Nativist view was supported by those who believed that some individuals are born with a language acquisition device (LAD). According to this perspective, once a child starts learning a language, they quickly understand and learn at a rapid pace regardless of their age. However, linguist Eric Lenneberg proposed that there is a critical learning period in our lives. If this period is missed, individuals are no longer able to learn in a fully functional way, even with the LAD.

The researchers viewed Genie as an ideal subject for investigating whether she could overcome the impact of her deprived upbringing through exposure to a learning environment. During infancy, one of her pediatricians noticed a cognitive delay, but it remains uncertain whether this contributed to her later difficulty in acquiring language skills. As a result, many researchers questioned whether she had any degree of intellectual disability.

Genie's progress in her recovery

was hindered by the constant moving and staying with different people, as she became the focal point of research studies. Unfortunately, the funding was eventually cut due to some researchers not maintaining accurate data. However, one researcher discovered that while Genie could use words, she struggled with producing proper grammar. This finding supported Lenneberg's theory of the critical period in human development and the ongoing debate of nature vs. nurture. Genie's situation worsened when her birth mother decided to place her in a foster home, leading to regression in her progress. The treatment she received in these homes made her fearful of speaking openly, causing her to revert back to silence. Many researchers are partly responsible for her unhappiness, as they took advantage of her instead of providing proper support and allowing her to have a normal childhood.

Beyond Genie's critical years, another case study involves a girl named Jaycee Lee Dugard. Unlike Genie, who missed her critical years due to captivity and isolation, Jaycee was kidnapped at the age of 11 by complete strangers and remained captive for the next 18 years. Similar to Genie's case, there was an immediate investigation into Jaycee's disappearance, but no one provided any information about her whereabouts.

Nancy Garrido and Phillip Garrido abducted Dugard one morning as she walked to the bus stop. They then took her to their home, where they stripped her of everything she had except for a ring she desperately tried to hide. Ultimately, they confined her to a soundproof shed in their backyard, where she was handcuffed and subjected to repeated daily rape by Phillip. Throughout her 18 years of captivity, Dugard was rarely allowed

outside, although occasionally Phillip and Nancy would take her places based on the trust they had developed with her.

Dugard endured multiple instances of rape, which led to her giving birth at the ages of 13 and 16. During her captivity, she lacked any understanding of sex. Additionally, Dugard's education level only reached fifth grade, leaving her uncertain about how she would adequately raise her children given her limited knowledge. As a result, her kids would only receive an education equivalent to that of a thirteen-year-old. At this point in life, one would typically desire fear-free social interaction; however, tragically for Dugard, that was not possible.

Dugard's only companions were Phillip and Nancy. She developed an attachment to them, similar to a child with a mother figure. Dugard's loneliness was alleviated by Nancy's gestures of bringing stuffed animals and expressing sympathy for Dugard's situation. Nancy had manipulated Dugard's longing for a motherly figure, causing Dugard to seek approval from the women. Prior to her first pregnancy, Dugard was provided with a television and videos on sex and pregnancy. This was done to ensure that she would be prepared and have no complications when giving birth.

Dugard's circumstances involve her having to rely solely on videos for her education and learning, as well as teaching her children using the knowledge she has acquired through videos. This situational study brings up the Nature vs. Nurture debate, with a focus on the psychological aspect leaning more towards Nurture. Environmentalists, or empiricists, view the human mindset as a tabula rasa, akin to a blank slate that gets filled through the environment (behaviorism).

Dugard did not have a proper upbringing regarding topics such

as sex and childbirth. These are usually learned at a later stage in life. Therefore, when Nancy acts motherly towards Dugard, she becomes a dependable figure for Dugard, and she shows concern for her. However, Dugard also learns to live in fear due to Phillip's repeated acts of rape and his threats of harm if she ever tries to escape. The environment has a significant impact on Dugard, as well as her children, who consider this place as their home during their early years.

All the learning techniques Dugard acquired during her primary education would be imparted to her infants, including teaching them the alphabet and taking care of their basic needs. However, her childhood was abruptly taken away when she was held captive by Phillip and Nancy at the age of 13, becoming a mother at such a young age. Dugard experienced a life of isolation and captivity, but one of her greatest achievements was successfully surviving this traumatic ordeal.

Everyday was another day of battling and hoping for her freedom and reunion with her family. In 2009, Phillips' parole officer summoned him and the mother of the two girls for an inquiry. This presented Jaycee with an opportunity to disclose information about her captors and their behavior during the last 18 years. Despite showing signs of Stockholm syndrome, where a victim develops empathy and emotions towards their abductor, she found the strength to unveil her real self.

Despite the promising prospects for her children, Jaycee will always bear the burden of not being able to engage in significant stages of education and social development during middle school, high school, and college. These foundational years are vital

for cultivating social skills, personal growth, career opportunities, and establishing a solid basis for a prosperous family life. Although both cases involve isolation and captivity from society, they have distinct attributes. Both Genie and Dugard experienced prolonged periods of separation from the external world that profoundly affected them mentally and physically.

Genie, who was held captive for years, had to undergo a lengthy language-learning process. Initially, she could only utter one word and later progressed to constructing sentences. In contrast, Dugard faced the challenge of raising an infant at the age of thirteen despite her limited education up to fifth grade and isolation from others except for her captors. Although she did not desire it, she formed an attachment to her captives due to the absence of anyone else to rely on. While both Genie and Dugard have similarities in their circumstances, they also possess distinct characteristics that differentiate them.

The main focus in these cases was the level of social interaction that would have a positive impact. For example, with Genie, who was discovered in a house, researchers aimed to help her interact with others so she could learn and develop through social nurturing. However, this approach did not work because of her severe condition when found. Researchers believed she would never fully integrate into society, and sadly, this prediction proved true as she can only speak in limited fragments. Till now, she still struggles with speech.

Dugard had a different experience than Genie because she was able to socialize both at school and with her family. This had a positive effect on her later life, as she faced challenges but still managed to educate her two

children successfully. Social interaction, regardless of age, has a positive impact. One's upbringing, including the involvement of parents in providing appropriate social interaction, influences their level of involvement in society later in life.

The following sources were cited in this text:

- McLeod, Saul. “Nature Nurture in Psychology. ” Simply psychology. N. p. 2007. Web. 4 Dec 2012.
- Cherry Kendra. “Genie: The Story of the Wild Child. ” About Psychology. N. p. N. p. Web. 4 Dec 2012.
- “Kidnapping of Jaycee Lee Dugard. ” Wikipedia. N. p. 2012. Web. 4 Dec 2012.
- Lenneberg, E. Biological Foundations of Language. New york. 1967. 4 Dec 2012.
- “The secret of the wild child. ” PBS. NOVA. 1997. Video. 5 Dec 2012.
- Rymer, R. Genie: A scientific tragedy. Harper Collins. New York. 1993. 4 Dec 2012.