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

Goddard, Henry Herbert, 1866-1957Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

Rating 2.3

Word count: 157K words
Chapters: 16

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.The Kallikak Family: A Study in the Heredity of Feeble-Mindedness by GoddardAuthor: Goddard, Henry Herbert, 1866-1957,Language: English, Class: HQ: Social sciences: The family, Marriage, Sex and Gender, Release Date: Jan 13, 2017

Editor's review

This book is Goddard's hereditary study of the "Kallikak family" and one of the representative texts in the history of early twentieth-century eugenics and intelligence testing. Its value lies first in its documentary nature: the research methods, pedigree investigation approach, and tone of argument presented in the book record how scholars of the time linked heredity, intelligence, and social behavior, and also expose the prejudices and limitations of the eugenics movement. It should not be read as reliable genetic conclusions, but as material for the history of science, social history, and ethical reflection, observing how researchers selected samples, interpreted data, and used language to construct a narrative of "family degeneration." For researchers in the history of psychology, special education, and eugenics, this is an unavoidable primary source; for general readers, it is a case study in becoming alert to how scientific prejudice is produced. Reading it alongside a critical introduction to the history of eugenics is recommended, with methodological and ethical questions in mind.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Professional readers studying the history of eugenics, psychology, and genetics
University teachers and students concerned with the history of intelligence testing and special education
Readers who need primary cases from the history of science for ethical discussion
Readers interested in the evolution of social science methods in the early twentieth century

Not a good fit for

Readers who take the book as reliable conclusions in genetics or intelligence research
Beginners seeking systematic knowledge of modern psychology or genetics
Readers easily influenced by historically prejudiced narratives and lacking critical background

Reading tips

Learn the basic background of the eugenics movement and early twentieth-century intelligence testing before starting the main text.
Mark the researcher's sample selection, modes of inference, and value judgments as you read.
After each section, write down the ethical and methodological objections the approach would face today.
Read alongside critical introductions to the history of science or ethics.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Does this book still have reading value today?

Yes, but its value lies mainly in the history of science and ethical reflection, not in genetic conclusions. It records how eugenics constructed narratives through pedigree studies, allowing readers to examine research methods, sample selection, and value assumptions, and to understand how scientific prejudice enters knowledge production.

Are the research conclusions in the book credible?

They should not be used as reliable conclusions. The book belongs to research conducted in the context of early twentieth-century eugenics; its methods, classifications, and interpretations all bear the limitations of their time, and later scholarship has extensively criticized this kind of pedigree research and intelligence judgment. It should be read as historical material, not as a contemporary scientific basis.

How should non-specialist readers approach it?

It is advisable to first read introductory material on the history of eugenics to establish a critical framework, then read selected pedigree narratives and methodological sections of the book. The point is not to memorize conclusions, but to observe how the researcher poses questions, selects evidence, and draws inferences, and to reflect on the ethical issues involved.

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About the author

Goddard, Henry Herbert, 1866-1957 Author

Henry Herbert Goddard (1866–1957) was an American psychologist known for his research on intelligence and heredity. Two of his works are held here, both centering on intellectual disability and social behavior. The Kallikak Family: A Study in the Heredity of Feeble-Mindedness traces intellectual conditions across generations of a single family and argues that feeble-mindedness is inherited; The Criminal Imbecile: An Analysis of Three Remarkable Murder Cases applies the same perspective to criminal cases, examining offenders' intelligence and capacity for responsibility. Both books are marked by case-study investigation, dwelling on particular individuals and families in a direct style that emphasizes the presentation of material. His views were later criticized on methodological grounds, yet in the early twentieth century they had a wide influence on intelligence testing, eugenic debate, and public understanding. Public information is limited, so biographical details are not elaborated here; the focus stays on the subjects and writing of his works.