VERZOSA, EXEQUIEL IAN R.

Psych Preliminary Task 2nd Year Bachelor of

Science in Psychology Experimental Psych

The Separating Triplet Experiment

Dr. Peter Neubauer, an Australian-born child, psychoanalyst, and child

Psychiatrist conducted a grim experiment in the 1960s and 1970s in which a set

of triplets and twins were separated from one another before being adopted by

a family (part of the experiment). One of his most well-known experiments

involved triplets who were separated from one another (Robert Shafran, Edward

Galland,

and David Kellman). The study's goal is to investigate how genetics and

environment (Nature vs. Nurture) affect a child's development.

VERZOSA, EXEQUIEL IAN R. Psych Preliminary Task 2nd Year Bachelor of

Science in Psychology Experimental Psych
This triplet, named Robert Shafran, Edward Galland, and David Kellman, is one of

the subjects of the Experiment that Dr. Peter Neubaurer conducted with the

assistance of an adoption agency called Louise Wise Services. The triplets were

separated during their birth on July 12, 1961, to be part of the experiment, and

their mother was a teenager at the time. The triplets were assigned to different

families based on their socioeconomic position. David Kellman was given to a

lower-class family, Edward Galland to a middle-class family, and Robert Shafran

to an upper-middle-class family. the three boys experience mental health

problems as they grow up and after 19-20 years, they accidentally found each

other. after that they spent their time together and their story began to headline

the news and other tv show because of their uniqueness. As the years go by the

triplets open their own restaurant and catch up to all the time that they are

VERZOSA, EXEQUIEL IAN R. Psych Preliminary Task 2nd Year Bachelor of

Science in Psychology Experimental Psych
separated behind the fun and joy that they are experiencing they start

questioning the reason behind their separation and when the real reason for

separation has been revealed that they are used to an experiment a

psychological experiment and their relationship has been affected after the

revelation and according to David Kellman one of the Triplets the experiment

“Robbed their 20 years that they should be together as triplets” and sadly Eddy

one of the Triplets ended his life by suicide in 1995 at the age of 33 in his home in

new jersey. And the details on the result of the study will not fully be published

until 2065 or 2066 because all the evolved in the experiment likely died during

that time.

what makes the experiment unethical and why?

-First, it is unethical because according to the movie “Three Identical Strangers,”

the biological mother of the Triplets is suffering from mental health problems, and

is a teenager at that time Mental Disorders can get through genetics and the

environment so the triplets can have a mental disorder also. Second, the agency

and Dr. Peter Neubauer did not tell the adoptive parents of the triplets that they

are part of the experiment that the triplets are part of the experiment. It is

Unethical because the adoptive parents need to know that they are part of the

experiment. Third the experimenter did not think about the future what will
VERZOSA, EXEQUIEL IAN R. Psych Preliminary Task 2nd Year Bachelor of
Science in Psychology Experimental Psych

happen to their subjects or the possible outcome if they conduct that

experiment. Like what happened to the Triplets They have experienced mental

health problems and were involved in different kinds of crimes because of

mental health problems as they grow up because they possibly get it to their

mother who is suffering from mental health also. After the revelation that the

triplets are used for experiments that cause their anxiety and depression

triggered and causes one of the triplets Eddy to end his life connected to that as

the Triplets experience some mental health problems from their childhood until

they grow up, the experimenter did not have an action to that. And Lastly, Dr.

Peter Neubauer and who is died last 2008 and all the people who is with him

conducting the experiment like the agency did not publish the results to the

public and all the people who involved in the experiment. The result will be

released in 2066 and all the people involved in that experiment is possibly died.

If you were the psychologist, what would you do to make the experiment more

humane and ethical?

If I am the Psychologist who will conduct the experiment first in the case of the

mother of the twins who experience mental health problems and also a

teenager who is not of legal age, I will have counseling and a discussion with the

mother and her parents or guardians for her to have companion and guide I will
explain

VERZOSA, EXEQUIEL IAN R. Psych Preliminary Task 2nd Year Bachelor of

Science in Psychology Experimental Psych

what the experiment all about what will happen and what will be the possible

outcome and if they agree to participate the triplets to the experiment.

Second, I will inform all my subjects that they are involved in an experiment like

the adoptive parents of the triplet I will make sure that they are aware that they

are part of my experiment because that is their right. Third, I will think first what

will be the possible outcome of the experiment, and what problems we will

encounter while conducting the experiment in the experiment of the Triplets I will

think that the triplets can gave mental health problems because they possibly

get it from their mother who has to suffer with it from that as a psychologist I can

find another triplet who can be my subjects and while the experiment is ongoing

and it have a problem to the subject I will have an action regarding on that.

And lastly, I will make sure that the subject will know the result of the experiment

because they have the right to know it and I will answer all the possible

questions that the subject will ask.

References

- A. (2022, July 6). Mental Health Lessons learned from “Three Identical Strangers.”

THE THRIVE PROGRAMME. https://www.thriveprogramme.org/mental-health

three-identical-strangers/
VERZOSA, EXEQUIEL IAN R. Psych Preliminary Task 2nd Year Bachelor of
Science in Psychology Experimental Psych

- Holly Fernandez Lynch, K. G. (2019, February 7). “Three Identical Strangers”: It’s

not too late to address the ethical violations. STAT.

https://www.statnews.com/2019/02/07/three-identical-strangers-address

ethical-violations/

- Lynch, B. (2022, August 2). Tale of triplets separated at birth and reunited as

teens before tragedy struck. Mirror.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/tale

triplets-separated-birth-reunited-27552635

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VERZOSA, EXEQUIEL IAN R. Psych Preliminary Task 2nd Year Bachelor of
Science in Psychology Experimental Psych