Imagine You Are an Orphaned Child, and Scientists Deliberately Make You Stutter
In 1939, at an orphanage in Davenport, Iowa, 22 innocent children became subjects of an experiment later known as the 'Monster Study'. This experiment was designed by Wendell Johnson, a professor at the University of Iowa who himself stuttered. With the help of his graduate student, Mary Tudor, they deliberately inflicted psychological trauma on these children to study the causes of stuttering. This fact is not fiction—it really happened and is documented in university records.
Background: A Scientist's Obsession with Stuttering
Wendell Johnson was a man who lived with severe stuttering. Throughout his life, he was mocked and marginalized because of his condition. This drove him to find the cause and cure for stuttering. At that time, the dominant theory held that stuttering was genetic. Johnson was dissatisfied with this theory; he believed that environmental factors, especially adults' reactions to children's speech, played a major role. To prove his theory, he needed human subjects—and he chose orphaned children who had no voice to refuse.
The Sadistic Experiment Design
The experiment involved 22 orphaned children, half of whom were identified as 'stutterers' (though only a few actually had mild speech problems), and the other half as 'normal'. These children were divided into two groups: the 'positive treatment' group and the 'negative treatment' group.
The negative treatment group was the main target of the experiment. These children—who previously showed no speech problems—were repeatedly told that their speech was defective, that they stuttered, and that they needed to be careful about how they spoke. Mary Tudor, who conducted the experiment sessions, would criticize every small mistake in their speech, emphasizing that they were 'abnormal'. Imagine a 5-year-old child who previously spoke fluently, suddenly being told every day that he 'stutters' and 'cannot speak properly'.
The positive treatment group, on the other hand, received praise and encouragement, even though they actually had speech problems. They were told that their speech was fine and they need not worry.
Results: Children in the negative group began to show severe stuttering symptoms. Some became so ashamed that they refused to speak at all. Those who previously spoke fluently, after a few weeks, began to repeat syllables, take deep breaths, and show classic signs of stuttering. In some cases, these effects lasted a lifetime.
Cover-up and Betrayal
When the experiment ended, Johnson and Tudor provided no rehabilitation or therapy to the affected children. They simply left them with deep psychological trauma. This study was never officially published—perhaps because Johnson himself realized the terrible ethical implications. However, copies of internal university reports were later found, showing that the university knew about the experiment but chose to conceal it. These children were never told they were subjects of an experiment until decades later.
Truth Revealed: The Courageous Journalist
For over 60 years, the 'Monster Study' was merely a footnote in psychology history. Everything changed in 2001 when Jim Dyer, an investigative journalist from the San Jose Mercury News, discovered old documents and tracked down several surviving subjects. When interviewed, they recounted how they struggled with stuttering and low self-confidence throughout their lives, unaware that it was the result of an experiment conducted when they were children. One subject, known only as 'Hazel', said: 'I always wondered why I stuttered. No one in my family stutters. Now I know it was their doing.'
Ethical and Legal Implications
This experiment violated every research ethics principle upheld today. The children did not give consent (and as orphans, their guardians were not asked either). They were deliberately psychologically harmed without any benefit to them. After the 2001 exposure, the University of Iowa issued an apology and paid compensation to surviving victims. However, for many victims, monetary compensation could not restore the years of suffering.
Lessons: Science Cannot Sacrifice Humanity
The Monster Study is a dark reminder of what happens when science loses its moral compass. It shows that the desire to find answers cannot override basic human rights. Although this study helped shape theories about the causes of stuttering (Johnson later developed the 'diagnosogenic' theory suggesting that labels given to children can cause stuttering), the methods used are unforgivable. Today, this experiment is used as a case study in research ethics courses worldwide—as a warning about boundaries that must not be crossed.
Conclusion: The Forgotten Ones
To this day, the trauma experienced by 22 orphaned children in Davenport continues to cast a shadow over the history of science. They were innocent victims of an experiment that should never have happened. This story is not just a historical fact—it is a call for all of us to ensure that science proceeds with ethics and humanity. The Monster Study may be over, but we must not forget that behind every data point, there are human beings whose lives may be changed forever.
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Reference: Monster Study — Wikipedia
Monster Study 1939: The Cruel Experiment That Deliberately Created Stuttering in Orphaned Children. In 1939, a group of orphaned children in Davenport, Iowa, became subjects of an unethical experiment designed to study the causes of stuttering. Led by Wendell Johnson, a speech pathologist who himself stuttered, the study deliberately inflicted psychological trauma on children by giving them negative labels about their speech. As a result, previously normal children began to show permanent stuttering symptoms. This experiment was concealed for over 60 years until investigative journalist Jim Dyer's report in 2001 revealed the shocking truth.. Imagine You Are an Orphaned Child, and Scientists Deliberately Make You Stutter
In 1939, at an orphanage in Davenport, Iowa, 22 innocent children became subjects of an experiment later known as the 'Monster Study'. This experiment was designed by Wendell Johnson, a professor at the University of Iowa who himself stuttered. With the help of his graduate student, Mary Tudor, they deliberately inflicted psychological trauma on these children to study the causes of stuttering. This fact is not fiction—it really happened and is documented in university records.
Background: A Scientist's Obsession with Stuttering
Wendell Johnson was a man who lived with severe stuttering. Throughout his life, he was mocked and marginalized because of his condition. This drove him to find the cause and cure for stuttering. At that time, the dominant theory held that stuttering was genetic. Johnson was dissatisfied with this theory; he believed that environmental factors, especially adults' reactions to children's speech, played a major role. To prove his theory, he needed human subjects—and he chose orphaned children who had no voice to refuse.
The Sadistic Experiment Design
The experiment involved 22 orphaned children, half of whom were identified as 'stutterers' though only a few actually had mild speech problems , and the other half as 'normal'. These children were divided into two groups: the 'positive treatment' group and the 'negative treatment' group.
The negative treatment group was the main target of the experiment. These children—who previously showed no speech problems—were repeatedly told that their speech was defective, that they stuttered, and that they needed to be careful about how they spoke. Mary Tudor, who conducted the experiment sessions, would criticize every small mistake in their speech, emphasizing that they were 'abnormal'. Imagine a 5-year-old child who previously spoke fluently, suddenly being told every day that he 'stutters' and 'cannot speak properly'.
The positive treatment group, on the other hand, received praise and encouragement, even though they actually had speech problems. They were told that their speech was fine and they need not worry.
Results: Children in the negative group began to show severe stuttering symptoms. Some became so ashamed that they refused to speak at all. Those who previously spoke fluently, after a few weeks, began to repeat syllables, take deep breaths, and show classic signs of stuttering. In some cases, these effects lasted a lifetime.
Cover-up and Betrayal
When the experiment ended, Johnson and Tudor provided no rehabilitation or therapy to the affected children. They simply left them with deep psychological trauma. This study was never officially published—perhaps because Johnson himself realized the terrible ethical implications. However, copies of internal university reports were later found, showing that the university knew about the experiment but chose to conceal it. These children were never told they were subjects of an experiment until decades later.
Truth Revealed: The Courageous Journalist
For over 60 years, the 'Monster Study' was merely a footnote in psychology history. Everything changed in 2001 when Jim Dyer, an investigative journalist from the San Jose Mercury News, discovered old documents and tracked down several surviving subjects. When interviewed, they recounted how they struggled with stuttering and low self-confidence throughout their lives, unaware that it was the result of an experiment conducted when they were children. One subject, known only as 'Hazel', said: 'I always wondered why I stuttered. No one in my family stutters. Now I know it was their doing.'
Ethical and Legal Implications
This experiment violated every research ethics principle upheld today. The children did not give consent and as orphans, their guardians were not asked either . They were deliberately psychologically harmed without any benefit to them. After the 2001 exposure, the University of Iowa issued an apology and paid compensation to surviving victims. However, for many victims, monetary compensation could not restore the years of suffering.
Lessons: Science Cannot Sacrifice Humanity
The Monster Study is a dark reminder of what happens when science loses its moral compass. It shows that the desire to find answers cannot override basic human rights. Although this study helped shape theories about the causes of stuttering Johnson later developed the 'diagnosogenic' theory suggesting that labels given to children can cause stuttering , the methods used are unforgivable. Today, this experiment is used as a case study in research ethics courses worldwide—as a warning about boundaries that must not be crossed.
Conclusion: The Forgotten Ones
To this day, the trauma experienced by 22 orphaned children in Davenport continues to cast a shadow over the history of science. They were innocent victims of an experiment that should never have happened. This story is not just a historical fact—it is a call for all of us to ensure that science proceeds with ethics and humanity. The Monster Study may be over, but we must not forget that behind every data point, there are human beings whose lives may be changed forever.
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Reference: Monster Study — Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monster Study
