Go to http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/transcripts/2112gchild.html

After reading the transcript of Genie answer the following questions:

1. How does this reading illustrate the statement "we learn to be human", aren't we born human?
2. What are the relative contributions of biogenic and sociogenic factors? (In other words how would you describe Genie's level of physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development?)
3. What does it take from George Herbert Mead's perspective for the self to develop?
4. From Mead's perspective did Genie have a "Self"? Why or why not?
5. What evidence can you find in the transcript that supports the claim that primary socialization is important to our "humanness"?
   How does a child deprived of primary socialization develop?
6. What is the "Critical Period" for acquiring language? What did Lennenberg say? Chomsky? Was the critical period hypothesis supported? Why or why not?
7. Our speech helps shape our basic attitudes and orientations to life. The social group may even contribute to such ordinarily presumed biological characteristics as our ability to walk. Support this statement with evidence from the reading.
8. Which of Piaget's stages would you place Genie's cognitive development? Why?
9. Were the researchers more interested in the scientific discovery of a modern "wild child" or were they genuinely interested in Genie's progress?