Genie Wiley. An alias for a feral child who was locked away in a room for 13 years. Her case was one of the cruelest in US history. Born in 1957, Genie was believed by her father to be mentally retarded. At 20 months old her father Clark Wiley locked her in a bedroom. The windows were covered with aluminum foil and there was only a “cage” and a potty-chair, which Genie was usually strapped to. A handmade straitjacket kept her bound. If she made a noise, she would be hit with a board. Clark also kept a gun in his lap for intimidation. He’d beaten and growled at her, like a dog (McMahan, Elysia.). In Los Angeles County she stumbled into a welfare office with her mother who was looking for services for the blind. She was stricken with cataracts.
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After that it becomes increasingly harder to develop those skills. At the time that she was discovered, Genie was still capable of rehabilitation, although it would be at a slow pace. The ideal time frame for language and motor development had passed, but it was not an impossible case ("Genie the Wild Child Analysis & Behavior."). There was hope that Genie would be able to gain a full development, but this time has passed. In Genie’s case there were many areas that could have been altered. When the study first began she was moved around to different homes and different doctors. They were trying to enable her to form bonds, but the reoccurring movement may have made this a struggle. Genie was used to being left behind. Eventually she stayed with one family for multiple years. This family was also some of her doctors. The woman would try to get her to remember and communicate what her father did to her. She would get mad at her for certain actions and behaviors, and Genie would respond negatively, becoming scared and silent. Looking at this study, it seems very counterintuitive. As the woman would punish and berate Genie, this surely would reverse some of the work they had done for rehabilitation. Genie may have been able to bond with this doctor/parent figure, but was still afraid because of the reminding of her father (Carroll,
After that it becomes increasingly harder to develop those skills. At the time that she was discovered, Genie was still capable of rehabilitation, although it would be at a slow pace. The ideal time frame for language and motor development had passed, but it was not an impossible case ("Genie the Wild Child Analysis & Behavior."). There was hope that Genie would be able to gain a full development, but this time has passed. In Genie’s case there were many areas that could have been altered. When the study first began she was moved around to different homes and different doctors. They were trying to enable her to form bonds, but the reoccurring movement may have made this a struggle. Genie was used to being left behind. Eventually she stayed with one family for multiple years. This family was also some of her doctors. The woman would try to get her to remember and communicate what her father did to her. She would get mad at her for certain actions and behaviors, and Genie would respond negatively, becoming scared and silent. Looking at this study, it seems very counterintuitive. As the woman would punish and berate Genie, this surely would reverse some of the work they had done for rehabilitation. Genie may have been able to bond with this doctor/parent figure, but was still afraid because of the reminding of her father (Carroll,