Genie Wiley was a girl known as “the most isolated girl in recorded medical history”. For the first 13 years of her life, she was confined to a bedroom and isolated from normal human interaction. Due to Genie’s lack of stimuli, she was not capable of language. After an MRI scan, Genie showed the necessity of human interaction within the process of brain development where her brain was significantly smaller than the average brain size for 13-year-olds. Psychologists used Genie’s life to determine that experiences during the development stages of life and the actual physical development had a clear bidirectional relationship. Biological development as previously believed has a strong and direct influence on behavior and experiences, whilst, human experiences in the realm of stimuli and interaction have an equally strong and direct influence on human development. After Genie’s discovery and work with various psychologists, she was able to learn a significant number of words yet had never gained the ability to speak in full sentences or comprehend language. It is believed that during her captivity, Genie was nearly never touched or spoken to whilst her bedroom lacked windows and colors. Her brain had been so severely starved of any stimulation that her development in the realm of language was unable to progress any further. Genie showed that social interactions and stimulation are as significant to the growth of the brain as food is to the growth of muscles and bones during childhood years. Her own isolation lead to a shortage of brain growth and development as her malnutrition lead to her being the size of an 8 ear old at 13 years old. 

Genie Wiley – TLC Documentary (2003). (2013, January 18). [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjZolHCrC8E&ab_channel=ApolloEightGenesis