2 Girls

Basic human traits of intelligence and the ability to establish close bonds with others depend on early interaction with other humans. In the case of Isabelle, who was 61/2 years old when she was found from isolation had no ability to speak. With proper language training, she was able to reach the intellectual level that is normal. Whereas in the case of Genie, who was 13years old when she was found from isolation also was unable to speak. She also went into intensive language training, but she was not able reach normal level. She went on to live in a home for adults who could not live alone.

Apparently there is a period prior to age of 13, in which children must develop language and human bonding if they are to develop high intelligence and the ability to be sociable and follow social norms.

Without language people have no mechanism (ability) for developing thought. If an individual lacks language, he or she lives in an isolated world-world of internal silence, without shared ideas, lacking connections to others. Without language, there can be no culture-no shared way of life-and culture is the key to what people become. Everyone has biological heritage, but this heritage does not determine specific behaviors, attitudes, or valves. It is our culture that superimposes the specific of what we become onto our biological heritage.

Society makes us human- we realize that babies do not develop naturally into human adults. Although their bodies grow, if children are in isolation, they become like an animal. Without the concepts that language provides, they can’t experience or even understand relationship between people. It is through human contact that people learn to be members of the human community. This process by which we learn the ways of society (or particular group) called socialization, is what sociologists have in mind when they say “ society makes us human.”