Privation

Privation

1. Genie

   • 13 years
   • Aftercare: psychologists gave education/assistance, but mistreated by scientists who cared more about their career than her welfare
   • Physical effects: couldn't walk properly (bunny); couldn't speak; no self awareness; malnourished
     • Psychological effects: limited social skills; little self awareness; failed language skills but good skills with no language; age inappropriate behaviour
   • Recovery?: very little in social and language skills but could perform tasks that didn't require language; could be due to claimed brain damage at birth (though don't know this for fact) (limits value of insight into effects of privation)

2. Czech Twins

   • 7 years in basement; 2 years in orphanage
   • Aftercare: adopted by loving nuns
   • Physical effects: poor health; often beaten
     • Psychological effects: terrified of people; barely able to talk
   • Recovery?
     • By 14: behaviour essentially normal
       • By 20: above average IQ and excellent relationships with members of foster family

3. 13 Orphans

   • 2 years
   • Aftercare: fostered by a loving, mentally disabled mother (love but no tutoring)
   • Recovery?: IQ improved; future social development much better than the 12 who stayed in the orphanage

4. AO2

   • Low population validity
     • only on 1 person or small group
       • difficult to generalise the effects of privation to rest of target population
   • Double-obligation dilemma
     • psychologists have a duty to carry out research on the effects of privation and if it can be reversed for the greater good of society, as well as have a duty of care to those being studied (e.g. with Genie)
   • Retrospective
     • requires participants to look back and recall information
       • therefore could forget or make up information
         • could lower the validity as the findings into the effects of privation may not be true
   • High ecological validity
     • set in a real environment (Genie's home)
       • findings into the effects of privation can be generalised outside of the setting