... theories on developmental psychology are relatively brand new. Consequently there is no genuine proof that any individual theory is accurate or erroneous. Lefrancios (1973) published a book about child development. In it was a chapter relating to "wild children". This chapter is a recount of children who have grown up in the wild to begin with and are later captured and nurtured by adoptive parents. Lefrancios believed that the lack of human contact during the children's early years is to blame for the their lack of intelligence. "It is widely accepted that these children are retarded and because they... had [no] contact with humans during their formulative years." (Lefrancios 1973. Page 23.) Lefrancios had two views on what children were like in 'captivity'. "When recaptured, the children behave in much the same way as their adoptive parents [but] ... none learned to speak." (Lefrancios 1973. Page 23.) His second view is, "They ...

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