The name of a famous
eugenics study in 1912. Martin Kallikak was a well-known
Quaker. He
had relations with a 'dullard', siring children, then settled
down with 'an
industrious Quaker maid'. The
legitimate children were judged to be
successful, the
illegitimate children less so. Since the
kids grew up two miles apart,
researchers concluded that the
environment was the same, and therefore the only
variable was the
genes of the mother.
The 'successful' Kallikaks, some of which where judges and professors, had few children. The illegitimate Kallikaks often had many children. This gave creedence to the theories that idiots replicate faster than smart people.
The studies were published with photographs. The 'unsuccessful' side of the family were shown as unattractive and sinister-looking, and the 'successful' side of the family was shown to be more attractive. This alone swayed many opinions.