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Terman and His Termites

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Terman and His Termites

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    1. Terman and His “Termites”

    2. How has society often viewed smart children?

    3. Genetic Study of Genius Not all smart kids are “nerds” or “frail oddballs doomed to social isolation”… Instead, most are “robust and well-adjusted” and should “be identified early and cultivated for their rightful roles in society.” What interested Terman? -He had translated, revised, and administered Binet’s intelligence test and introduced the intelligence quotient (IQ). -He himself was “gifted” and had great sympathy for their frustrations and yearnings. -Terman grew up in rural Indiana and was the 12th of 14 kids in a farming family. -He preferred playing intellectual games and reading over sports or outside play and felt physically inferior to his peers. -The majority of farm kids did not attend school past the 8th grade but Terman was insistent and he eventually went to the local teacher’s college, Indiana University, and finally to Clark University (top psychology school). -Became a high school principal, professor of pedagogy at a teacher’s college, and eventually chairman of the psychology department.-He had translated, revised, and administered Binet’s intelligence test and introduced the intelligence quotient (IQ). -He himself was “gifted” and had great sympathy for their frustrations and yearnings. -Terman grew up in rural Indiana and was the 12th of 14 kids in a farming family. -He preferred playing intellectual games and reading over sports or outside play and felt physically inferior to his peers. -The majority of farm kids did not attend school past the 8th grade but Terman was insistent and he eventually went to the local teacher’s college, Indiana University, and finally to Clark University (top psychology school). -Became a high school principal, professor of pedagogy at a teacher’s college, and eventually chairman of the psychology department.

    4. The “Termites” 1528 kids Selected by high IQ scores and teacher recommendations Longitudinal study…still continuing! -Participation required IQ score of at least 135 or a teacher/principal recommendation. He also took in subjects from previous studies he had conducted. -He even included his own son and daughter, Fred and Helen. -Subjects remained anonymous. -Acquired thick dossier regarding their physical health, interests, ancestry, reading habits, play, home life, household income and parental occupations, Visited subjects’ homes, interviewed parents, and even counted the number of books in the home (average was >300). -Surveys are sent out every 10 years to the “Termites” asking them questions about their sex lives, political attitudes, earnings, religious beliefs, physical and mental health, satisfaction w/ marriage and life, etc. -About 200 “Termites” are still alive today. -Although Terman has passed away, others have taken on the task of continuing Terman’s Study of Gifted Children (renamed)…Sears and Hastorf at Stanford University.-Participation required IQ score of at least 135 or a teacher/principal recommendation. He also took in subjects from previous studies he had conducted. -He even included his own son and daughter, Fred and Helen. -Subjects remained anonymous. -Acquired thick dossier regarding their physical health, interests, ancestry, reading habits, play, home life, household income and parental occupations, Visited subjects’ homes, interviewed parents, and even counted the number of books in the home (average was >300). -Surveys are sent out every 10 years to the “Termites” asking them questions about their sex lives, political attitudes, earnings, religious beliefs, physical and mental health, satisfaction w/ marriage and life, etc. -About 200 “Termites” are still alive today. -Although Terman has passed away, others have taken on the task of continuing Terman’s Study of Gifted Children (renamed)…Sears and Hastorf at Stanford University.

    5. Flaws in the Study? All kids were from CA White, urban, middle class 856 boys & 672 girls Terman intervened in their lives -2 African-Americans, 6 Japanese-Americans, and 1 American Indian was included in the study. -Most from LA, San Francisco, and the East Bay. -Terman also tended to meddle in their lives… Wrote recommendations Helped some get into Stanford and other universities Pulled strings on behalf of a Japanese-American family that was going to be interned Got one kid into a foster home -2 African-Americans, 6 Japanese-Americans, and 1 American Indian was included in the study. -Most from LA, San Francisco, and the East Bay. -Terman also tended to meddle in their lives… Wrote recommendations Helped some get into Stanford and other universities Pulled strings on behalf of a Japanese-American family that was going to be interned Got one kid into a foster home

    6. Data 2/3 earned Bachelor’s degrees 97 PhDs 57 MDs 92 lawyers 1954: Terman group earned median salary of $10,556 while the national average was $5,800 -Also, the women in the group tended to have fewer children than others of their generation and bore them later in life. More women went to college and graduate school, had careers, and remained unmarried. “They were no more—and no less—stable than the general population.” Mitchell Leslie (Stanford article)-Also, the women in the group tended to have fewer children than others of their generation and bore them later in life. More women went to college and graduate school, had careers, and remained unmarried. “They were no more—and no less—stable than the general population.” Mitchell Leslie (Stanford article)

    7. Conclusions? The Mental and Physical Traits of a Thousand Gifted Children (1925) “He [Terman] established the fact that bright people are normal people.” ~Hastorf~ -650 page book published.-650 page book published.

    8. Conclusions? Melita Oden (1968) compared 100 most successful and 100 least successful of the “Termites” IQs were pretty much the same So, what led to their success? Confidence Persistence Early parental encouragement -Intelligence alone does NOT guarantee achievement!-Intelligence alone does NOT guarantee achievement!

    9. Backlash “I hate the impudence of a claim that in 50 minutes you can judge and classify a human being’s predestined fitness in life…I hate the sense of superiority which it creates, and the sense of inferiority which it imposes.” Intelligence-testers are “the Psychological Battalion of Death.” ~Walter Lippmann~ -Walter Lippmann was a journalist. -Like many of his time, Terman was also part of the Eugenics movement. Although he later came to change his views, he never publicly recanted like Goddard and others. -Eugenics movement died out in the 1930s w/ the rise of the Nazis in Germany. -Sterilization of the “feeble-minded” in America, however, continued well into the 1970s. -Walter Lippmann was a journalist. -Like many of his time, Terman was also part of the Eugenics movement. Although he later came to change his views, he never publicly recanted like Goddard and others. -Eugenics movement died out in the 1930s w/ the rise of the Nazis in Germany. -Sterilization of the “feeble-minded” in America, however, continued well into the 1970s.

    10. Russell Robinson “Research is a strange business—in a sense, you’re out there alone…Sometimes, the problems got so complex I would ask myself, Am I up to this? Then I would think, Dr. Terman thought I was.” -Despite the flaws and the negative outcomes of the study, there were good things to come out of it…increased confidence and self-esteem in many. -In addition, sometimes Terman’s meddling helped them out in life. -Russell Robinson is a retired engineer and former director of aeronautical research @ NASA.-Despite the flaws and the negative outcomes of the study, there were good things to come out of it…increased confidence and self-esteem in many. -In addition, sometimes Terman’s meddling helped them out in life. -Russell Robinson is a retired engineer and former director of aeronautical research @ NASA.

    11. Famous “Termites” Ancel Keys (disc. link btn. cholesterol & heart disease) Norris Bradbury (former director of the Los Alamos Nat’l Laboratory) Shelley Smith Mydans (Life journalist) Edward Dmytryk (Hollywood director) Jess Oppenheimer (I Love Lucy creator, producer, & writer) -Edward Dmytryk shown in top picture with Gregory Peck on the set of Mirage (1964). -Jess Oppenheimer shown in bottom picture w/ Desi and Lucy.-Edward Dmytryk shown in top picture with Gregory Peck on the set of Mirage (1964). -Jess Oppenheimer shown in bottom picture w/ Desi and Lucy.

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