I think the greatest contribution of Harris' work is the challenge to developmental psychologists to actually collect the right kind of data to back up their claims. So the classic study of parents and their biological children just cannot tease apart which part is genetics and which part is environment (because they are perfectly confounded). Harris work (even if proven eventually to be incorrect in some details) demands better data and a more serious look at the effect of peers.
I think that it is completely predictable that researchers and parents alike would be outraged at her claims just like I'm sure Steve Pinker must have gotten his share of hate mail after publishing "The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature." http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/product-description/0142003344/ref=dp_proddesc_0?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books Marie **************************************************** Marie Helweg-Larsen, Ph.D. Department Chair and Associate Professor of Psychology Kaufman 168, Dickinson College Carlisle, PA 17013, office (717) 245-1562, fax (717) 245-1971 http://www.dickinson.edu/departments/psych/helwegm Office hours: Monday 10:30-11:30, Tuesday & Wednesday 2:00-3:30 **************************************************** -----Original Message----- From: Joan Warmbold [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Wednesday, February 25, 2009 4:30 PM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) Subject: Re: [tips] Why parents (still) don't matter Not certain why you feel compelled to mention me by name all the time Stephen. But you're right that I'm not impressed with Judith Harris' perspectives or the foundations for her statements and clearly you are. However, this article in Time certainly doesn't provide any additional scientific support for Harris's contentions for the minimalist role of parents. It's simply an interview with Harris that reiterates her position? The science on brain development has indisputably shown that brain development is most plastic (malleable) in our early years, so to make statements that early experiences and parents aren't crucial to a child's development seems patently ludicrous. And I have read her book and was dismayed at the sloppy nature of her citations and her willingness to make rather strong and radical statements with minimal reference to scientific studies. And the concept of brain plasticity is not mentioned once in her entire book. I am in the process of writing a critique of her book as I found it filled with many serious flaws. I will gladly share my critique with whomever is interested. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/24/health/research/24abuse.html?em The above article talks about clear scientific evidence of how a child's brain is shaped by early physical abuse. But then a child's brain is shaped by all types of early experiences, for better or worse. Burton White wrote an entire book, "The First Three Years," providing eons of excellent scientific studies to illustrate how crucial a child's early years are. Are now being asked to ignore such excellent research? Joan [email protected] > The granny from New Jersey speaks. Devotees of Judith Rich Harris, such > as Joan Warmbold, will not want to miss this _Time_ interview on the > occasion of the release of the 10th anniversary edition of her praised > and reviled magnum opus, _The Nurture Assumption_. > > "Dangerous. Misguided. Untenable. Those were just some of the criticisms > leveled at amateur psychologist Judith Rich Harris and the conclusions in > her controversial book The Nurture Assumption when it was first published > a decade ago". > > http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1881384,00.html > > Stephen > ----------------------------------------------------------------- > Stephen L. Black, Ph.D. > Professor of Psychology, Emeritus > Bishop's University e-mail: [email protected] > 2600 College St. > Sherbrooke QC J1M 1Z7 > Canada > > Subscribe to discussion list (TIPS) for the teaching of > psychology at http://flightline.highline.edu/sfrantz/tips/ > ----------------------------------------------------------------------- > > --- > To make changes to your subscription contact: > > Bill Southerly ([email protected]) > > --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly ([email protected]) --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly ([email protected])
