Sketch by Nadiyya Gurban
In 1939, psychologist Wendell Johnson conducted a “monsterous experiment” at the University of lowa in the United States. His goal was to understand how vulnerable children are to the influence of the people around them. For six months he used 22 orphan children dividing them into two groups. The first group was praised in every possible way and told how wonderfully and correctly they spoke, while the second group was criticised and convinced of their speech imperfections, full of shortcomings, and even were called pathetic.
The results of this “Monster study” were also monstrous: shockingly, the children from the second group, who had no speech defects to begin with, developed them and experienced stuttering symptoms for the rest of their lives.
The experiment was hidden for a very long time, as Johnson knew how damaging it could be for his reputation. However, it became public knowledge, leading the University of Iowa to publicly apologise for the “Monster Study” in 2001.
Looking at modern society, it’s sometimes alarming to see how some parents raise their children. You can often see how they yell and disrespect children, not giving them opportunities to choose for themselves, tell them very unpleasant words to prove that the child is not doing what they should be. It is no surprise children grow up damaged, leading to many problems in society. We must understand that everything we say to our children, especially if we say it often, will eventually shape their personality, life and inner world. It is a must to carefully monitor everything we say to our children, how we communicate with them. Only a healthy upbringing and love can make our sons and daughters strong and prepared for this world and adult life, becoming good members of society.
Ulviyya Mahmud,
Editor-in-chief
