Genie: A Scientific Tragedy

Genie: A Scientific Tragedy Book: Russ Rymer Presentation: Courtney Neis

Irene • Genie’s Mother • Atlus, OK • Felt she had 2 sets of parents – Mamaw an Dadaw • Close to her mother • Drought • Move to Southern California • Father found job at filling station, little hope for kids • Non-traditional solution to poverty

Clark • Genie’s Father • Rough life • Unemployed • WWII – worked in aircraft assembly line

Marriage and Kids • Early years appeared to be happy • Clark was jealous and overprotective • “My life came to an end on my wedding day” – Irene • Clark didn’t want kids • Four children – only 2 survived • Child 1 • Irene beat during pregnancy • Crying infuriated Clark • Died at 2.5 months • Child 2 - RH blood poisoning • Child 3 • Healthy boy • Development hindered – Neglect • Saved by paternal grandmother • Child 4 – Genie • RH blood poisoning • Development hindered

Clark’s Mother • Clark was largely attached to his mother, despite not being there during childhood. • Supported him until he got job as a machinist • Irene thought she was making a pest of herself • December 1958 – The Accident. Clark’s mother got hit by a car while crossing the street with her grandson to buy an ice cream cone. • Afterwards, Clark started to change and was severely depressed • A world without his mother, a world that did not care to adequately punish his mother’s murderer, was a world he could live without • Clark quit job and moved his family into his mother’s house

Home Life • Irene was largely dependent on Clark because of her blindness • Son was allowed outside of house for very little • Sleeping arrangements – living room • Clark dreaded people taking advantage of his daughter • Pediatrician pronounced her “a retarded little girl with kernicterus” • Clark believed his daughter was profoundly retarded and needed protection from evil of the world

Genie’s Home Life • Confined to a small bedroom in back of house, harnessed to an infant’s potty seat • Left to sit on a chair – unable to move her fingers, hands, feet, or toes • At night, placed in sleeping bag which was stationed to hold her arms stationary and placed in a crib with wire mesh sides and a wire mesh cover on top • Little auditory stimulation – no TV or radio. • Wasn’t allowed to make any noises

Genie’s Home Life cnt. • Little to look at or touch – no carpet or pictures in room, windows covered • “Entertainment” • Two raincoats, “Partly Edited” copies of TV log, Cottage Cheese containe, Spool of thread • Diet • Baby foods, Cereal, Soft boiled egg • Clark was convinced she’d die before 12 • Promised Irene she could seek help for Genie if she lived past 12

Found • Irene was searching for office of “Service for Blind” but accidentally stumbled into the general social services office • 90% blind in left eye and 100% blind in right eye • Social worker originally thought Genie was autistic • Genie’s condition when found • 50 lbs • Incontinent – no control over urination/defecation • Couldn’t chew solid food/could hardly swallow • Couldn’t focus eyes beyond 12 feet • Salivated constantly • Had almost 2 complete sets of teeth • Showed no perception of heat/cold • Couldn’t do anything requiring full extension of legs (hop, skip, climb) • Vocab – probably less than 20 words

The Aftermath • Clark and Irene were arrested and charged with child abuse • Admitted to the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles • Clark committed suicide on the court date • He left 2 notes – nothing for his wife or daughter • For the police: “My son is out front with friends. He hasn’t the slightest idea of what is going to happen” • For his son: “Don’t take that shirt back. It’s for my funeral. You know where my blue shirt is. Underwear in hall closet. I love you. Good bye and be good – Dad” • Irene got off on a not guilty plea

New People in Genie’s Life • Susan Curtiss & Victoria Fromkin • Susan was a 1st year grad student in linguistics department studying language acquisition when her faculty advisor, Victoria Fromkin, invited her into the case • David Rigler • David was a professor of pediatrics and psychology at University of Southern California and the chief psychologist in the hospital’s psychiatric division

New People in Genie’s Life • James Kent (top right) • One of the hospital psychologists who visited Genie the first day she arrived • “As far as I’m concerned Genie was the most profoundly damaged child I’ve ever seen” • Jay Shurley(bottom left) • One of the first outside consultants to visit Genie from Texas • Brought 600 lbs of equipment for investigating brain activity Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLCqeYKPnpc :30 Bunny Walk 5:40 Talking 12:30 19:10

Critical Period & Language Acquisition • Nature or Nurture • Noam Chomsky – Language Acquisition Device (LAD) • Eric Lenneberg – Critical Period

Genie’s Progress in the Hospital • Mental and physical abilities improved quickly • She seemed oblivious to the people fighting over her • After 2 weeks she was released to the hospital’s rehabilitation center • Starting to develop a sense of self • Starting to obtain speech • Showing remarkable progress on intelligence tests • May 1971 – consultants got together to consider her future under the terms of the NIMH contract • Therapy or Research? Opinions?

The Testing Begins • June 4, 1971 – Genie meets Curtis and Fromkin • New linguistic examinations • One of the most tested children in history • Genie spoke very little – whimpers or squeaks The first publicly released picture of Genie, taken just after California authorities took control of her care at the age of 13.

Genie’s Summer with Jean Butler • Jean volunteered to take Genie on field trips • Jean developed Rubella • July 7 – “Isolation” Genie went to life with Jean • Genie was happy and progressing well • Dispute with the “Genie Team” • Jean – overprotective, restricting visits • Genie Team – ambitious and insensitive • Jean applied to be Genie’s foster parent

Genie with David and Marilyn Rigler • Genie’s new home – scientist on the case • 3 children, a cat, golden retriever puppy • Genie was regressing • Grant money and funding • David Riglerreleased from work at hospital

More Progress at the Rigler’s • Curtiss visited daily • Uncooperative • Compressing sentences • “Monday Curtis come” = “Munkuh” – The Great Abbreviator • Verbally slow • Marilyn Rigler– unofficially in charge of teaching Genie how to behave • Taught Genie how to chew food • Enrolled in nursery school and later public school for the mentally retarded • Speech therapy and some sign language • “Genie Happy”

Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association • Anniversary of Genies arrival in foster home • Symposium – chaired by David Rigler • Howard Hansen – paper of Genies early life • James Kent – 8 months in hospital • Marilyn Rigler – the past year “Adventure: At Home with Genie” • Fromkin, Curtis, and Krashen – Genie’s language skills • Development indicated language acquisition can occur after 5 and the onset of puberty • Dubunk Eric Lenneberg’s theory? • Lenneberg had no interest in studying Genie

Summary of Progress • Difference between singular and plural nouns • Difference between positive and negative sentences • Some prepositions • Understood yes/no questions • Somewhat use possessives

Summary of Progress Cnt. • Normal children quickly learn how to form negative sentences – Genie was stuck in the beginning stage for almost 3 years • Couldn’t ask a real question • Ex: “Where is may I have a penny?” • Problem with pronouns • “I” her favorite • “You” and “Me” were interchangeable • Skill leveled out almost immediately • Failures made many believe Genie was retarded • Curtis was not convinced – she was smart • She could categorize – some thought key to learning language • Advanced in mental age • “Being with Genie wasn’t like being with a retarded person. It was like being with a disturbed person. She was the most disturbed person I’d ever met. But the lights were on. There was somebody home.” - Curtiss

Video (7:30) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjZolHCrC8E#t=382

Trips to Temple City • Most promising case of 20th century to perhaps one of the most tested children in history • NIMH found the lack of progress troubling • One year extension • Rigler applied for another grant • Application was denied • “Very little progress has been made” • “The research goals projected probably will not be realized” • On the “bright” side… • Without funds, Riglers would have to terminate their foster relationship with Genie

New Homes For Genie • Home to Irene • Irene found it difficult to live with her daughter • Riglers had some money to help – summer camp • November 7 – new foster home • Irene’s visits were seen as disruptions • Genie regressed – seemingly intentionally • Quit speaking – fear of vomiting • At a poolside BBQ they saw how bad Genie had regressed • “I want live back in Marilyn house”

A new grant – more testing • Genie was placed back in the hospital for two weeks and then entered a new foster home • Temporary home over the Christmas holiday • Another “permanent home” • One home refused visitation • Curtis advocated for Genie • Letter to John Miner • March 20, 1978 – Irene regained control of her daughter

Curtiss’ Dissertation • Irene’s reaction • Hurt by the term “Wild Child” • “It made me sick at the stomach. I was sick you know, when I saw those things, you know, in print. It takes a lot to make me sick” – reaction to description of Genie’s home life • Irene’s “corrections” • I was not frequently beaten, 2 times in the last year. He did try to kill me 1 time • Genie was able to move her arms, legs, bend forward and to the side • Genie was able to move her arms with the sleeping bag on, it was not a straitjacket. It was an oversized infant’s crib with wire screen around the sides. There was a wire screen on top but I never used it. • Genie did hear speech, our home is very small. • Her father did not beat her • Her father did not bark to her face • Most Importantly: Genie was not forgotten

The Lawsuit • October 1979 – lawsuit accusing – Hansen, Knapp, David Rigler, James Kent, Susan Curtiss, and the children’s hospital • Accused them of multiple infractions of patient-therapist and patient-physician confidentiality • Accused scientists of performing unethical human experimentation • Faulted John Miner for not protecting Genie from harm while he was her guardian • Asking for compensatory and punitive damages

Reactions to the Lawsuit • Testing regimen of 60-70 hours/week • It was fun, Genie thought most of this as a game • Susan Curtis - “My test periods were never more than 45 minutes on a given day, the rest was playing, going for walks, just being friends” • Scientists were shocked • David Rigler– The mystery became clear for him • Jean Butler • Jean stayed in the shadows • Irene didn’t sound like herself

Lawsuit (continued) • Case lasted 6 years • Time dulled the complaint • Case finally almost settled – Jean wanted Irene to decline the offer • Complaint was “dismissed” or rather “upheld” • Curtiss agreed to direct a program for Genie • Children’s hospital agreed to give yearly physical and psychiatric evaluations • Full access to and use of Genie’s records were granted • Curtis relinquished the fund she had set aside for Genie • No other financial penalties

Where is Genie now? • Adult foster care home • Southern California • Little is known about current condition • Private investigator - happy • Jay Shurley’s visits • Largely silent • Depressed • Chronically intitutionalized

Discussion • Reactions/Thoughts? • What kind of problems do you think arose having Rigler as a scientist on her case and one of her primary care givers? • What could they have done, or what would you do differently, that would have benefited Genie in better ways? • If this were a case today, how do you think it would be handled? • How should the ethics of a case such as this be handled?

Genie: A Scientific Tragedy