"Moron" was coined in 1910 by psychologist Henry H. Goddard[4] from the Ancient Greek word μωρός (moros), which meant "dull"[5] and used to describe a person with a mental age in adulthood of between 7 and 10 on the Binet scale.[6] It was once applied to people with an IQ of 51–70, being superior in one degree to "imbecile" (IQ of 26–50) and superior in two degrees to "idiot" (IQ of 0–25). The word moron, along with others including "idiotic", "imbecilic", "stupid", and "feeble-minded", was formerly considered a valid descriptor in the psychological community, but it is now deprecated in use by psychologists.[7]
In the obsolete medical classification (ICD-9, 1977), these people (morons and feeble-minded) were said to have "mild mental retardation", "mild mental subnormality" or "high-grade defect" with IQ 50–70.[8]
Following opposition to Goddard's attempts to popularize his ideas,[9] Goddard recanted his earlier assertions about the moron: "It may still be objected that moron parents are likely to have imbecile or idiot children. There is not much evidence that this is the case. The danger is probably negligible."[10]
^Rafter, Nicole Hahn (1998). Creating Born Criminals. University of Illinois Press, ISBN978-0-252-06741-9
^Black, Edwin (2004). War Against the Weak: Eugenics and America's Campaign to Create a Master Race. Thunder's Mouth Press, ISBN978-1-56858-321-1
^"The Clinical History of 'Moron,' 'Idiot,' and 'Imbecile'". merriam-webster.com.
^Trent, James W. Jr. (2017). Inventing the Feeble Mind: A History of Intellectual Disability in the United States. Oxford University Press, ISBN978-0199396184
^μωρός, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek–English Lexicon, on Perseus Digital Library
^Zaretsky, Herbert H.; Richter, Edwin F.; Eisenberg, Myron G. (2005), Medical aspects of disability: a handbook for the rehabilitation professional (third edition, illustrated ed.), Springer Publishing Company, p. 346, ISBN978-0-8261-7973-9.
^Zenderland, Leila (2001). Measuring Minds: Henry Herbert Goddard and the Origins of American Intelligence Testing. Cambridge University Press, ISBN978-0-521-00363-6
^World Health Organization (1977). Manual of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases, Injuries, and Causes of Death(PDF). Vol. 1. Jeneva. p. 212.
^Chase, Allan (1977). The Legacy of Malthus: The Social Costs of the New Scientific Racism. Knopf/Random House, ISBN978-0-394-48045-9
March 07, 2023
moron, psychology, moron, term, once, used, psychology, psychiatry, denote, mild, intellectual, disability, term, closely, tied, with, american, eugenics, movement, once, term, became, popularized, fell, psychological, community, used, more, commonly, insult, . Moron is a term once used in psychology and psychiatry to denote mild intellectual disability 1 The term was closely tied with the American eugenics movement 2 Once the term became popularized it fell out of use by the psychological community as it was used more commonly as an insult than as a psychological term It is similar to imbecile and idiot 3 Origin and uses Moron was coined in 1910 by psychologist Henry H Goddard 4 from the Ancient Greek word mwros moros which meant dull 5 and used to describe a person with a mental age in adulthood of between 7 and 10 on the Binet scale 6 It was once applied to people with an IQ of 51 70 being superior in one degree to imbecile IQ of 26 50 and superior in two degrees to idiot IQ of 0 25 The word moron along with others including idiotic imbecilic stupid and feeble minded was formerly considered a valid descriptor in the psychological community but it is now deprecated in use by psychologists 7 In the obsolete medical classification ICD 9 1977 these people morons and feeble minded were said to have mild mental retardation mild mental subnormality or high grade defect with IQ 50 70 8 Following opposition to Goddard s attempts to popularize his ideas 9 Goddard recanted his earlier assertions about the moron It may still be objected that moron parents are likely to have imbecile or idiot children There is not much evidence that this is the case The danger is probably negligible 10 See alsoEugenics in the United States Euphemism treadmill Congenital iodine deficiency syndromeReferences Rafter Nicole Hahn 1998 Creating Born Criminals University of Illinois Press ISBN 978 0 252 06741 9 Black Edwin 2004 War Against the Weak Eugenics and America s Campaign to Create a Master Race Thunder s Mouth Press ISBN 978 1 56858 321 1 The Clinical History of Moron Idiot and Imbecile merriam webster com Trent James W Jr 2017 Inventing the Feeble Mind A History of Intellectual Disability in the United States Oxford University Press ISBN 978 0199396184 mwros Henry George Liddell Robert Scott A Greek English Lexicon on Perseus Digital Library Zaretsky Herbert H Richter Edwin F Eisenberg Myron G 2005 Medical aspects of disability a handbook for the rehabilitation professional third edition illustrated ed Springer Publishing Company p 346 ISBN 978 0 8261 7973 9 Zenderland Leila 2001 Measuring Minds Henry Herbert Goddard and the Origins of American Intelligence Testing Cambridge University Press ISBN 978 0 521 00363 6 World Health Organization 1977 Manual of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases Injuries and Causes of Death PDF Vol 1 Jeneva p 212 Goddard Henry H Who Is a Moron The Scientific Monthly Volume 24 Issue 1 pp 41 46 Chase Allan 1977 The Legacy of Malthus The Social Costs of the New Scientific Racism Knopf Random House ISBN 978 0 394 48045 9 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Moron psychology amp oldid 1127215452, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
