Week 4 Assignment: Secret of the Wild Child
The story of Genie is a difficult account of child neglect and lack of supports to families vulnerable to developing serious psychosocial difficulties, from decades ago. Genie is a child who was deprived of socialization. The attempts to study her and “re-socialize” her are a tragic example of both the problems of research and the limits of human knowledge in the face of such extreme circumstances.
For your assignment, you are to write a reflection piece, evaluating what the case of Genie (and other feral children) means to what we understand about socialization. In your view, and informed by the following clips, one based on the NOVA documentary, “Secret of the Wild Child,” respond to the following 3 inter-related questions:
1. What do agents of socialization provide us with, in human terms?
2. How do agents of socialization help us grow and develop?
3. Which agents of socialization are most powerful, in your view, after reviewing this documentary?
Provide responses to the above questions and submit in the assignment link. Remember to include key terms from the textbook. Submit by 11:59 p.m. EST on Sunday.
