86 CHAPTER 2
But what about his behavior later in life? Although he has historically been portrayed as
being permanently altered, there has been some evidence to suggest he experienced a fair
amount of recovery. After a period of time in which he exhibited himself and the tamping iron
at least twice, there has not been any confirmation that he was actually in a “freak show”
and in contrast, he traveled throughout the New England area of the United States, found
employment in a horse stable, and later traveled to Chile for work to drive a horse-drawn
coach (Harlow, 1868; Macmillan & Lena, 2010). This was not a single horse-and-buggy
setup, but rather a six-horse stagecoach that was loaded with passengers and luggage.
Although some may consider the work menial, it certainly had to provide some challenges
as he had to take care of the horses, tend to the needs of his passengers, and most likely
learn something about local customs (Macmillan & Lena, 2010; Van Horn et al., 2012).
There has also been an image of Phineas discovered although the date is not
known. What does the portrait below suggest with regard to Phineas’s confidence,
demeanor, etc.?
From this information and what you know in your study of psychology thus far, can you
answer the following questions?
THINKING CRITICALLY
- What type of questions should you ask yourself when referring to case studies? Do
the questions differ based on the case studies being modern or historical?
- What kind of supports and structure might have been provided to Phineas through his
postaccident jobs that would have possibly helped him with his recovery?
- How might the modern study of psychology help us better understand other historical
case studies?
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