The Monster Study
Summary
This episode details the "Monster Study," a controversial 1939 experiment by Wendell Johnson at the University of Iowa that induced stuttering in children by falsely labeling their speech as defective. The story follows the unethical methodology used on orphanage children, the decades-long secrecy surrounding the study, and its eventual exposure by journalist Jim Dyer in 2001. It highlights the lasting psychological trauma suffered by participants, the subsequent lawsuit against the state of Iowa, and the ethical reforms in speech pathology research that resulted from this infamous case.
Topics discussed
Introduction to the 1939 Iowa orphanage experiment
Sponsor segment: Quince autumn gear
Sponsor segment: Hex Clad cookware
Background on researcher Wendell Johnson
Hypothesis and recruitment of subjects
Group divisions and experimental design
Initial testing: IQ and handedness theories
Mary Tudor's intervention sessions and scripts
Immediate effects on children's speech and behavior
Mary Tudor's guilt and the study's obscurity
The study's exposure by reporter Jim Dyer
Long-term psychological impact on participants
University apology and legacy of the clinic
Modern scientific view of stuttering causes
Lawsuit against the state of Iowa
Ethical lessons and conclusion
Credits and community shoutouts
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