The Kallikak Family: A Study in the Heredity of Feeble-Mindedness

Name: The Kallikak Family: A Study in the Heredity of Feeble-Mindedness
Author: Henry Herbert Goddard

By Henry Herbert Goddard

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Psychiatry/Psychology Sociology

About This Book

A scientific case study traces an extended family across generations to document patterns of intellectual disability. Field investigators combine clinical assessment, household interviews, photographs, and genealogical charts to classify relatives, present individual case histories (including a young institutionalized girl), and estimate hereditary contribution. The author interprets the evidence with reference to Mendelian ideas, concludes a strong familial influence on mental defects, and discusses practical implications and policy recommendations for institutions and social management.

About the Author

Henry Herbert Goddard

Henry Herbert Goddard was an American psychologist and eugenicist known for his pioneering work in the study of mental deficiency and its implications for society. His notable publications include "The Kallikak Family: A Study in the Heredity of Feeble-Mindedness," which examined the hereditary aspects of mental illness through a case study, and "The Criminal Imbecile: An Analysis of Three Remarkable Murder Cases," where he explored the intersection of criminal behavior and mental deficiency. Goddard's research contributed to the early 20th-century discourse on intelligence testing and the eugenics movement, influencing both psychological theory and public policy.