Assignment 1:
Watch the story of the movie Secret of the Wild Child, currently available in its entirety at the following web address:http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3i5x05.
Questions to answer:
- Briefly describe Genie’s early experiences and her progress in learning a language after she was found.
- What does this case study suggest about the role of language in the primary socialization process?
- What is the critical period? Does research with Genie support the notion of what linguists refer to as a “critical period” for language acquisition?
- Why is this case study referred to as a “forbidden experiment”?
- Why can’t we reach definitive conclusions about cause and effect using a case study? Regarding Genie’s situation, what potentially confounding variable makes it difficult to conclude with certainty that it was extreme social isolation that caused her cognitive deficits?
- Describe the ethical issues surrounding Genie’s case, discussed in the film Secret of the Wild Child. Did the individuals involved in this research project behave in an unethical manner?
