The Monster Study (1939): Conducted at the University of Iowa by Wendell Johnson and graduate student Mary Tudor, this experiment tested theories of stuttering origin on 22 orphan children. Half were subjected to negative speech therapy—criticized and told they were stutterers—even if they spoke normally. The other half received praise. The criticized group developed speech problems, anxiety, and low self-esteem, some lasting a lifetime. The study was unpublished due to ethical concerns but exposed in 2001. It sparked lawsuits and debate over research ethics, emphasizing the lasting harm of psychological manipulation, especially on vulnerable populations.
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