Behaviorist classical study - Watson & Rayner - Describe method and procedure

Question 1

what was the name of the study?

Answer 1

‘Conditioned emotional reactions’

Question 2

Methodology?

Answer 2

• 1 ppt - Albert B - a.k.a ‘Little Albert’, 9 months, male infant
• controlled observation
• in a well lit dark room (like in photography). Albert was placed on a mattress that was on top of a table

Question 3

method- why was this not a case study?

Answer 3

bc the focus was only on Little Albert’s response to conditioning: a case study would involve a more in depth analysis of the indiv and aspects of their life

Question 4

method - why is this not an experiment?

Answer 4

there was only 1 condition. It is simply an investigation to determine the effects of certain stimuli

Question 5

procedure- how were the responses recorded?

Answer 5

motion picture camera

Question 6

procedure- Albert’s emotional responses where tested to which objects?

Answer 6

a white rat, a rabbit, dog, monkey, masks w/o hair, cotton wool, burning newspaper

Question 7

procedure- how old was Albert in session 1?

Answer 7

11 months 3 days

Question 8

procedure- what happened in session 1 ?

Answer 8

A white rat was presented, the bar was struck just behind his head

Question 9

procedure- how long after S1 was it until A returned to the lab for testing?

Answer 9

a week later

Question 10

procedure- how old was A in S2?

Answer 10

11 Months, 10 days

Question 11

procedure- why was he shown the white rat with no noise in S2?

Answer 11

to see if the previous experience affected his behav with the rat

Question 12

procedure- how many times did he have ‘joint stimulation’ in this this session?

Answer 12

5

Question 13

procedure- S3 - how old was A when he returned for further tests?

Answer 13

11 months, 15 days

Question 14

procedure- S3 - what was the research question this time?

Answer 14

whether the learned link between rat & noise would be generalised to other objects

Question 15

procedure- S3 - what objects was A presented with?

Answer 15

rat, wooden blocks, a rabbit, a dog, a real fur coat, cotton wool, and John Watson’s hair

Question 16

procedure- S4- how old was A?

Answer 16

11 months, 20 days

Question 17

procedure- S4- what did the researchers ‘freshen up’ ?

Answer 17

his conditioned emotional response

Question 18

procedure- S4- what was the new envir A was taken to?

Answer 18

a large well lit lecture room w 4 ppl present

Question 19

procedure - S5- how old was A in this final test?

Answer 19

12 months, 21 days

Question 20

procedure- S5- which objects were shown to A?

Answer 20

Santa Claus mask, fur coat, rat, rabbit, dog, blocks

Question 21

what was each session about?

Answer 21

S1= establishing a conditioned emotoional response
S2= testing the conditioned emotional response
S3= Generalisation 
S4= Changing the environment 
S5= Effect of time

Question 22

procedure: Emotional tests summary?

Answer 22

• reactions tested to various objects e.g. dog, white rat, rabbit, masks, burning newspaper, monkey, cotton wool
• loud noise made by hitting a steel bar with a hammer

Question 23

procedure: S1 summary?

Answer 23

• 1st time - white rat presented and bar struck when LA reached for it
• 2nd time - joint stimulation

Question 24

procedure: S2 summary?

Answer 24

• shown a rat with no noise
• shown wooden blocks to play with (CONTROL OBJECT)
• 5 more joint stimulations (rat+noise)

Question 25

procedure: S3 summary?

Answer 25

presented with white rat, wooden blocks, rabbit, dog, cotton wool, fur coat, John Watson’s hair

Question 26

procedure: S4 summary?

Answer 26

• moved to a large, well-lit lecture room with 4 ppl present. Placed on a table in the centre of the room.
• conditioned emotional response was ‘freshened up’ with more ‘joint stimulation’

Question 27

procedure:s5 summary?

Answer 27

• santa mask, fur coat, rat, rabbit, dog, blocks

Question 28

method: summary?

Answer 28

• controlled observation at John Hoskins Uni (USA) in a well lit dark room, recorded with a motion picture camera
• Sample: One boy - ‘Little Albert’ - aged approx. 9 months at the start of the study

Question 29

P: emotional tests- how were the loud sounds made?

Answer 29

by striking a hammer upon a suspended steel bar