Rave reviews are given to this unusual story but for present-day psychologists or geneticists this subject is nothing new.
As a film goes its high ratings are unjustified. The first 50 minutes involves telling the audience using endlessly repeated clips, the same message again and again. If the audience fails to pick up the first 37 times that three individual strangers suddenly found out in New York at the age of 19 they are not only estranged brothers but triplets - then nothing will convey that point.
Around the halfway point the film's most interesting real-life character is introduced. Natasha Josefowitz, now a distinctly elderly lady, with a warm disposition and exceptionally sharp mind, adds depth and amazing clarity to proceedings in her description of events. She is someone who lends gravitas to what had been lightweight. Close friend of President Obama, Robert Redford, Al Gore and more all of whom she is proudly photographed with socially. As research assistant to Dr. Peter Neubauer (who passed away in 2008) she threw timely light in the documentary on his investigations.
One needs to understand that until the 1990s ethical considerations were not de facto in ad hoc psychology experimentation. The infamous unethical prison studies concerning Nazism and the role of authority conducted by Millgram, and subsequently by Zimbardo are known to every first-year psychology student. Back in the 1950s, and 60's ethics played little or no part in experimental design on people or other species. Deceiving subjects was commonplace too.
Records of the study are sealed at Yale University until 2066. Journalists and twin subjects of the study, according to this film, have all failed to obtain the records of their participation and the purpose behind deliberately separating the triplets at birth. As the documentary strains to hammer home, if you were separated from your siblings at birth and found out later, you'd want to know why.
The way to find out is indirectly, by looking back at the preponderance of other twin studies of the time, circa 1950s to early 1970s. The crucial question of that era was to determine the precise role and effects of 'nature versus nature' - in the development of newborns, infants and children far into adulthood. In other words are we all the product of heredity or our individual unique differences? To rule out the genetic differences such studies were always done on identical twins, who were separated early in life and had different upbringings. Samples sizes tended to be small (often a cause of criticism) as few separated twins can be found.
To save everyone time - the answer came later, from the 1990s onward - we emerge as one-third developed by genetics, and two-thirds by our unique environmental experiences. This revelation is supported by genetic evidence, particularly the relatively new field of epigenetics.
Investigative journalist Lawrence Wright, author of book-turned-TV series 'The Looming Tower' questions the value of an immoral study that its 'victims' cannot see, and no legal right to access. It's a striking question.
A clinical psychologist who was transiently in the 20 year longitudinal study for only ten months as a junior researcher had kept his field notes and also shed light on past events. Comparisons were made of monozygotic (same embryo) twins or triplets, separated at birth and raised in separate environments by adoptee parents. Therefore, the question arises would the triplets show identical traits in their behaviours (they did), reasoning and other social abilities - throughout their development to reveal whether they posses free-will? Were they the products of nature or nurture, essentially? It's all there in the documentary.
Ultimately the only absolute way to know for certain prior to 2066 is to gain access to Yale University Library Adoption Study Research - for which current US law would have to be overturned.
The "remarkable coincidence" that each of the triplet brothers had an adoptee older female sibling by 2 years - reveals that was no coincidence but was part of the design used by Dr. Neubauer, who was aided by the placement company 'Louise Wise Services'.
As a film it was far too repetitive ... 'look at these three guys folks, separated New York triplets who found each other aged 19.' How many times does that statement stun viewers? So this film will probably remain shocking to the general public, but not to psychologists or geneticists already familiar with the ways of unethical experimentation back then. On a brighter note, ethics is now fortunately at the forefront of science and repetition of those dark and psychologically damaging studies would not be allowed in today's western universities.
Film rating: 6
As a film goes its high ratings are unjustified. The first 50 minutes involves telling the audience using endlessly repeated clips, the same message again and again. If the audience fails to pick up the first 37 times that three individual strangers suddenly found out in New York at the age of 19 they are not only estranged brothers but triplets - then nothing will convey that point.
Around the halfway point the film's most interesting real-life character is introduced. Natasha Josefowitz, now a distinctly elderly lady, with a warm disposition and exceptionally sharp mind, adds depth and amazing clarity to proceedings in her description of events. She is someone who lends gravitas to what had been lightweight. Close friend of President Obama, Robert Redford, Al Gore and more all of whom she is proudly photographed with socially. As research assistant to Dr. Peter Neubauer (who passed away in 2008) she threw timely light in the documentary on his investigations.
One needs to understand that until the 1990s ethical considerations were not de facto in ad hoc psychology experimentation. The infamous unethical prison studies concerning Nazism and the role of authority conducted by Millgram, and subsequently by Zimbardo are known to every first-year psychology student. Back in the 1950s, and 60's ethics played little or no part in experimental design on people or other species. Deceiving subjects was commonplace too.
Records of the study are sealed at Yale University until 2066. Journalists and twin subjects of the study, according to this film, have all failed to obtain the records of their participation and the purpose behind deliberately separating the triplets at birth. As the documentary strains to hammer home, if you were separated from your siblings at birth and found out later, you'd want to know why.
The way to find out is indirectly, by looking back at the preponderance of other twin studies of the time, circa 1950s to early 1970s. The crucial question of that era was to determine the precise role and effects of 'nature versus nature' - in the development of newborns, infants and children far into adulthood. In other words are we all the product of heredity or our individual unique differences? To rule out the genetic differences such studies were always done on identical twins, who were separated early in life and had different upbringings. Samples sizes tended to be small (often a cause of criticism) as few separated twins can be found.
To save everyone time - the answer came later, from the 1990s onward - we emerge as one-third developed by genetics, and two-thirds by our unique environmental experiences. This revelation is supported by genetic evidence, particularly the relatively new field of epigenetics.
Investigative journalist Lawrence Wright, author of book-turned-TV series 'The Looming Tower' questions the value of an immoral study that its 'victims' cannot see, and no legal right to access. It's a striking question.
A clinical psychologist who was transiently in the 20 year longitudinal study for only ten months as a junior researcher had kept his field notes and also shed light on past events. Comparisons were made of monozygotic (same embryo) twins or triplets, separated at birth and raised in separate environments by adoptee parents. Therefore, the question arises would the triplets show identical traits in their behaviours (they did), reasoning and other social abilities - throughout their development to reveal whether they posses free-will? Were they the products of nature or nurture, essentially? It's all there in the documentary.
Ultimately the only absolute way to know for certain prior to 2066 is to gain access to Yale University Library Adoption Study Research - for which current US law would have to be overturned.
The "remarkable coincidence" that each of the triplet brothers had an adoptee older female sibling by 2 years - reveals that was no coincidence but was part of the design used by Dr. Neubauer, who was aided by the placement company 'Louise Wise Services'.
As a film it was far too repetitive ... 'look at these three guys folks, separated New York triplets who found each other aged 19.' How many times does that statement stun viewers? So this film will probably remain shocking to the general public, but not to psychologists or geneticists already familiar with the ways of unethical experimentation back then. On a brighter note, ethics is now fortunately at the forefront of science and repetition of those dark and psychologically damaging studies would not be allowed in today's western universities.
Film rating: 6