Compare Curtiss' study with Bowlby's 44 thieves in terms of methodology by Alison Episkopos

They both use case study methodology.

ae4 — 2015-11-11 09:36:14 UTC

eg. Bowlby looked at some of the 44 thieves in detail and analysed their history, their offending behaviour, their personality and their IQ whereas Curtiss studied one unique individual conducting language tests and interviews.

Both studies of privation

2015-11-11 09:36:32 UTC

Bowlby's study was trying to see the link between separation and delinquency. Curtiss's study was trying to see whether the effects of privation on Genie could be reversed e.g. teaching her language at age 13

Both have included the tests of intelligence

2015-11-11 09:37:40 UTC

eg. In the 44 thieves studies a psychologist has carried out mental tests to assess intelligence like IQ and on emotion. Genie was constantly tested on language skills and intelligence by the psychologist and the teacher. The tests were like sorting shapes into categories.

Both studies were longitudinal studies

2015-11-11 09:45:12 UTC

Curtiss followed Genie over 5-6 years working with her to try and teach her language past the age of 13. Bowlby did his study of the 44 thieves from 1936 to 1939, gathering different kinds of data using interviews, case histories and psychological testing.

2015-11-11 09:51:11 UTC

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVTO0GFy6o4

Applicability of both studies

2015-11-11 09:54:25 UTC

Genie's case was too unique to be generalized to a larger population so there is reduced ecological validity and it is hard to lean anything from her case whereas Bowlby's study is also unique to that case study but the general theory there is that there is a link between maternal deprivation and delinquency, so his findings are a bit more useful, such as changing hospital visiting practices and giving advice to parents on how to avoid bond disruption.

Interviewing mothers

2015-11-11 10:01:33 UTC

In both studies mothers have been interviewed. Bowlby has been interviewing mothers to find out about relationship between the child and the mother and the separation experience. Curtiss was interviewing Genie's mother weekly, but their purpose was to find out more about Genie rather than just looking at their relationship. Irene was also an unreliable source of information.

Some similar effects of privation and maternal deprivation

2015-11-11 10:02:20 UTC

Bowlby's 44 thieves showed some of the same characteristics as Genie such as social maladjustment

Both Bowlby and Curtiss found that in their case studies, the effects on the people being studied were as a result of their past relationships with their parents.

Bowlbys study looked at correlation, Curtiss' didnt

2015-11-11 10:04:15 UTC

Bowlby was looking for a correlation between maternal deprivation in infancy and adolescent delinquency, Curitss's study of Genie wasn't looking at a correlation between two factors, she was looking to see if you could teach language to someone over the age of 13.

Participants

2015-11-11 10:08:56 UTC

Bowlby studied 44 children who were stealing and he had a control group of 44 children who were not thieves but also have attended the same clinic. Whereas Curtiss studied one unique case.

Ethics

2015-11-11 10:11:50 UTC

There were more ethical considerations with Genie than the juvenile thieves. With Genie the main aim should have been to try and help her recover rather than experimenting on her whereas with the juvenile thieves and because there was no clear cause-effect link at the start it wasn't wrong for Bowlby to make the study the priority. Both had informed consent from their parents.

Indepth data

2015-11-11 10:12:44 UTC

Both studies have collected indepth and rich data as they were observing children and recording thier behaviour. Bowlby could observe children because they were in the London Child Guidance Clinic and Genie was observed because she had psychologist working with her to help her adjust to society.

Validity of data

2015-11-11 10:18:23 UTC

Both Bowlby and Curtis collected quantitative, using different research methods.e.g For quantitative data: IQ tests and intelligent tests and for qualitative data, e.g interviews with mothers.

Bias

ae4 — 2015-11-11 10:19:34 UTC

Bowlby may have been biased in the way that he interpreted the data as he was looking for a specific correlation and ignored other factors. Curtiss was biased in her interpretation of Genie's abilities as she had become very attached to Genie.