Psychology Experiment - The Monster Study (One Of The Most Unethical Study Ever Conducted)

Summary

In 1939, a notorious study known as the 'Monster Study' was conducted in Iowa involving 22 orphans to investigate stuttering. The unethical experiment aimed to induce stuttering in fluent speakers and test the effects of positive reinforcement on stutterers. It resulted in lifelong trauma for participants and was never published. Despite controversy, it provided significant insights into stuttering. The University of Iowa apologized in 2001, and in 2007, seven participants received compensation for psychological harm. The study's legacy remains a cautionary tale in psychological research ethics.

Takeaways

• 📚 In 1939, a study known as the 'Monster Study' was conducted in Iowa involving 22 orphans to induce stuttering and observe its effects.
• 🔬 The study, led by graduate student Mary Tudor under the supervision of speech expert Wendell Johnson, was intended to be therapeutic but turned out to be highly unethical.
• 🚫 The 'Monster Study' was never published in a peer-reviewed journal due to its controversial nature and was kept hidden for decades.
• 🌐 The study's methodology involved dividing the orphans into two groups, with one group receiving positive reinforcement and the other being told they were stuttering.
• 🤯 The study had severe psychological impacts on the participants, causing lifelong trauma and leading to the University of Iowa's public apology in 2001.
• 💬 Patricia Zabrowski, a professor at the University of Iowa, noted the study's collection as one of the largest scientific information sources on stuttering.
• 👥 The study's aftermath included legal compensation for some participants, with seven of the orphaned children receiving $1.2 million for emotional and psychological scars.
• 📑 Mary Tudor, who later expressed deep regret for her role, returned to the orphanage to provide follow-up care, attempting to reverse the study's effects.
• 📈 The study's findings highlighted the importance of stutterers' thoughts, attitudes, and feelings, influencing current views on stuttering.
• 🏫 The University of Iowa acknowledged the study as 'regrettable' and stated it should never be considered defensible, reflecting on the ethical standards of research.

Q & A

What was the main objective of the study conducted in Iowa Davenport in 1939?

The main objective was to induce stuttering in normal speaking children and to see if telling stutterers that their speech was fine would help them recover.

Who were the subjects of the study known as the 'Monster Study'?

The subjects were 22 orphans from the Iowa Soldiers' Orphans' Home, consisting of both stuttering and non-stuttering children.

Who conducted the 'Monster Study' and under whose supervision was it done?

The study was conducted by a graduate student named Mary Tudor under the supervision of Wendell Johnson, a distinguished speech expert from the University of Iowa.

Why was the study never published in a peer-reviewed journal?

The study was never published because it was considered one of the most unethical studies in the field of psychology and caused lifelong trauma to the participants.

What was the duration of the experimental period in the 'Monster Study'?

The experimental period lasted from January until late May in 1939.

What were the two groups that the orphans were divided into during the study?

One group was praised for their speech, while the other group was progressively shown symptoms of stuttering.

What was the aftermath of the 'Monster Study' for the participants?

The study caused lifelong psychological and emotional scars for the participants, some of whom became self-conscious and reluctant to speak.

How did Mary Tudor try to rectify the situation after the study?

Mary Tudor returned to the orphanage three times after the experiment had officially ended to voluntarily provide follow-up care, telling the branded stutterers that they did not stutter after all.

What compensation did the participants receive for their involvement in the study?

On 17th August 2007, seven of the orphaned children were awarded a total of 1.2 million dollars by the state of Iowa for the lifelong psychological and emotional scars caused by the study.

What was the University of Iowa's response to the 'Monster Study'?

In 2001, the University of Iowa publicly apologized for the study, and a spokesman called the experiment regrettable, stating it should never be considered defensible in any era.

What was Mary Tudor's final stance on her role in the 'Monster Study'?

Before her death, Mary Tudor expressed deep regret about her role in the 'Monster Study' and maintained that Wendell Johnson should have done more to reverse the negative effects on the orphaned children's speech.

Outlines

00:00

📚 The Infamous 'Monster Study': Unethical Research on Orphans

In 1939, a highly unethical study was conducted in Iowa involving 22 orphans, aimed at inducing stuttering in normally fluent children and testing the effects of positive reinforcement on stutterers. The study, led by graduate student Mary Tudor under the supervision of speech expert Wendell Johnson, was never published due to its controversial nature and the lifelong trauma it inflicted on the participants. It was kept hidden for decades due to its timing with the revelation of Nazi human experiments during World War II. Despite its controversy, the study is considered by some to have the largest collection of scientific information on stuttering, as it was the first to discuss the importance of stutterers' thoughts, attitudes, and feelings. In 2001, the University of Iowa publicly apologized for the study, acknowledging the harm caused.

05:01

💔 Aftermath of the 'Monster Study': Psychological Scars and Legal Repercussions

The 'Monster Study' had profound and lasting effects on its participants. Some children became self-conscious and reluctant to speak, while others experienced severe psychological and emotional trauma. Mary Tudor, who conducted the study, returned to the orphanage to provide follow-up care, but the damage was done. In 2007, seven of the orphaned children were awarded $1.2 million by the state of Iowa for the lifelong scars caused by the study. The University of Iowa acknowledged the experiment as regrettable and indefensible. Mary Tudor expressed deep regret for her role in the study before her death, arguing that Wendell Johnson should have done more to reverse the negative effects on the children's speech. The study's legacy raises questions about the ethics of psychological research and the long-term impact of such experiments on individuals.

Keywords

💡Stuttering

Stuttering is a speech disorder characterized by disruptions in the normal flow of speech, including repetitions of sounds, syllables, or words, and involuntary prolongation of sounds. In the context of the video, stuttering is the central issue around which the 'Monster Study' was conducted, aiming to induce stuttering in children who did not have it and to observe the effects of positive reinforcement on those who already stuttered.

💡Ethics in Research

Ethics in research refers to the moral principles and guidelines that govern the conduct of scientific studies, especially concerning the treatment of human subjects. The video discusses the severe ethical violations in the 'Monster Study,' where children were subjected to psychological manipulation without their consent, leading to lifelong trauma. This keyword is crucial as it highlights the importance of ethical considerations in psychological research.

💡Peer-Reviewed Journal

A peer-reviewed journal is a scholarly publication in which articles are selected for publication based on their perceived merit after being evaluated by other experts in the field. The video mentions that the 'Monster Study' was never published in a peer-reviewed journal, which could have subjected it to scrutiny and potentially prevented the unethical conduct from being hidden from the public.

💡Psychological Trauma

Psychological trauma refers to the emotional and mental stress resulting from a distressing event or series of events. In the video, the 'Monster Study' is described as causing lifelong psychological trauma to the participants, emphasizing the profound and lasting impact of the study's unethical methods on the children involved.

💡Orphans

Orphans are children who have lost both parents. The video discusses how 22 orphans from the Iowa Soldiers' Orphans' Home were used as subjects in the 'Monster Study.' The choice of orphans as subjects raises ethical questions about their vulnerability and the power dynamics in research.

💡Speech Therapy

Speech therapy is a treatment method for individuals with speech and language disorders. The video script reveals that the children involved in the study believed they were receiving speech therapy, highlighting the deception involved in the study's setup and the false expectations created for the participants.

💡Wendell Johnson

Wendell Johnson was a distinguished speech expert from the University of Iowa who supervised the 'Monster Study.' His role is significant as he was responsible for the study's design and execution, and his reputation was a factor in the study's initial suppression. The video discusses the controversy surrounding his actions and their consequences.

💡Mary Tudor

Mary Tudor was a graduate student who conducted the 'Monster Study' under the supervision of Wendell Johnson. Her actions and the subsequent guilt she felt are highlighted in the video, illustrating the personal impact of participating in such an unethical study and her attempts to mitigate the harm caused.

💡University of Iowa

The University of Iowa is where Wendell Johnson was based and where the 'Monster Study' was conducted. The video discusses the university's role in the study and its eventual public apology in 2001, acknowledging the institution's responsibility and the regrettable nature of the study.

💡Longitudinal Study

A longitudinal study is a type of observational study that involves observing the same subjects over a long period. The 'Monster Study' can be considered a longitudinal study due to its extended period of observation and intervention. The video describes the study's duration and the ongoing effects on the participants, which are typical characteristics of longitudinal research.

💡Human Experimentation

Human experimentation refers to scientific research or testing involving human subjects. The video discusses the 'Monster Study' in the context of other notorious human experiments, such as those conducted by the Nazis during World War II, drawing parallels between the ethical violations and the lasting impact on the subjects.

Highlights

A study conducted in Iowa in 1939 involved 22 orphans and aimed to induce stuttering in normal speaking children.

The study, known as the 'Monster Study,' was one of the most unethical in psychology and caused lifelong trauma to participants.

The study was never published in a peer-reviewed journal due to its controversial nature.

The 'Monster Study' was conducted by Mary Tudor under the supervision of speech expert Wendell Johnson from the University of Iowa.

The study was kept hidden due to the human experiments by the Nazis during World War II.

Patricia Zabrowski believed the study had the largest collection of scientific information on stuttering.

Wendell Johnson was the first to discuss the importance of stutterers' thoughts, attitudes, beliefs, and feelings.

In 2001, the University of Iowa publicly apologized for the 'Monster Study'.

Participants were not informed of the research intent and believed they were receiving speech therapy.

The study divided 22 orphans into two groups, one praised for speech and the other induced to stutter.

The experimental period lasted from January to May 1939, with interventions every few weeks.

Mary Tudor provided follow-up care after the study, attempting to reverse the negative effects on the children.

In 2007, seven of the orphaned children were awarded $1.2 million for psychological and emotional scars caused by the study.

The study's results were not published, but it is considered to have important information for understanding stuttering.

Mary Tudor expressed deep regret about her role in the 'Monster Study' before her death.

The University of Iowa called the experiment regrettable and indefensible.

Transcripts

for a more lengthy discussion about this

topic can be found in the enigmas

podcast link in the bio in 1939 a study

was conducted in Iowa Davenport

involving 22 orphans the objective was

to induce stuttering in normal speaking

children and to see whether telling

stutterers that their speech was fine

would help them recover what was

well-intentioned in the first place

turned out to be one of the most

unethical studies ever conducted in the

field of psychology which caused a

lifelong trauma to the participants of

the study in the end the study was never

published in a peer-reviewed journal it

was bitterly dubbed as the monster study

by the participants themselves the study

was conducted by a graduate student Mary

Tudor under the supervision of Wendell

Johnson who was a distinguished speech

expert from the University of Iowa since

the monster study was conducted during

the wake of the human experiment by the

Nazis during World War two the

experiment was kept hidden for fear of

Johnson's reputation because the study

was never published in a peer-reviewed

journal t doors theses the graduate who

conducted the study is the only official

record of the details of the experiment

despite its controversy Patricia

zabrowski University of Iowa assistant

professor of speech pathology in

audiology believed that the study has

the largest collection of scientific

information on the phenomenon of

stuttering as Johnson was the first to

discuss the importance of the stutterers

thoughts attitudes beliefs and feelings

which continues to influence views under

studdering greatly in 2001 the

University of Iowa publicly apologized

for the monster study

[Music]

none of the participants were told of

the intent of the research and they

believed that they were there to receive

speech therapy the study involved 22

orphans which consisted of both

stuttering and non stuttering from the

Iowa soldiers as orphans his home they

were divided into two groups where one

of the group was praised for their

speech whilst the other group was

progressively showing symptoms of

stuttering and correction had to take

place immediately the experimental

period lasted from January until late

May in 1939 and the actual intervention

consisted of two door driving to

Davenport from Iowa City every few weeks

and talking with each child for about 45

minutes she followed an agreed-upon

scrip in her dissertation she reported

that she talked to the stuttering

youngsters who were going to be told

that they did not stutter she said you

will outgrow the stuttering and you will

be able to speak even much better than

you're speaking now pay no attention to

what others say about your speaking

ability for undoubtedly they do not

realize that this is only a face to the

nun stuttering youngsters who were to be

branded stutterers she said the staff

has come to the conclusion that you have

a great deal of trouble with your speech

you have many of the symptoms of a child

who is beginning to stutter you must try

to stop yourself immediately use your

willpower do anything to keep from

stuttering do not ever speak unless you

can do it right you see how so-and-so

stutters don't you well he undoubtedly

started this very same way

[Music]

all the children's schoolwork fell off

one of the boys began refusing to recite

in class the other 11 year-old Clarence

Pfeiffer started anxiously correcting

himself to door reported he stopped and

told me he was going to have trouble on

words before he said them she asked him

how he knew he said the sound wouldn't

come out it feels like it's stuck in

there one of the participants Mary

cholesky a 12 year old who withdrawn and

fractious during their sessions to door

asked whether her best friend knew about

her stuttering cholesky muttered no why

not Cora Lasky shuffled her feet

I hardly ever talked to her two years

later she ran away from the orphanage

and eventually ended up at the rougher

industrial school for girls

simultaneously escaping her human

experimentation Mary Tudor herself

wasn't untouched three times after

experiment had officially ended she

returned to the orphanage to voluntarily

provide follow-up care she told the

branded stutterers that they did not

stutter after all the impact however

well-meaning was questionable

she wrote to Johnson about the orphans

in a slightly defensive letter dated

April 22nd 1940

that in time they will recover but we

certainly made a definite impression on

them on 17th August 2007 seven of the

orphaned children were awarded a total

of 1.2 million dollars by the state of

Iowa for lifelong psychological and

emotional scars caused by six months of

torment

during the University of Iowa experiment

the study learned that although none of

the children became stutterers some

became self-conscious and reluctant to

speak a spokesman for the University of

Iowa called the experiment regrettable

and added this is a study that should

never be considered defensible in any

era in no way would I ever think of

defending the study in no way it's more

than unfortunate before her death Mary

Tudor expressed deep regret about her

role in the monster study and maintained

that Wendell Johnson should have done

more to reverse the negative effects on

the orphaned children speech

what do you think of today's topic do

you agree that Wendell Johnson had no

intention in harming the orphans do you

agree that the result of the study

should have been published either way

knowing that the study had important

information in understanding stutterers

do let me know what you think in the

comment section below also don't forget

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