Behaviourist Approach Flashcards
What was the Methodology of Watson and Rayner?
Not a case study as it only focus on Little albert’s response to conditioning.
Not an experiment as there was only one condition.
The study is a controlled observation.
What was session 1 of procedures ?
Establishing a conditioned emotional response
11 months and 3 days old Albert r brought into lab again. When Albert tried to reach for a white rat, bar was struck behind his head again.
What was session 2 of procedures ?
Testing the conditioned emotional response
A week later Albert return for more testing.
He was shown the rat with no noise to see if his experience had affected his behaviour with the rat.
Albert was then shown the rat a further 5 times and the loud noise was made. Known as joint stimulation.
Session 3 of procedures ?
Generalisation
Albert returned for further testing 5 days later.
Researchers wanted to know whether the learned link between rat and noise would be generalised to other objects.
Albert was presented with rat, wooden blocks, a rabbit, a dog and watsons hai.
Session 4 of procedures ?
Changing the environment.
5 days later Albert was conditioned again to “freshen up his response” through joint stimulation.
He was taken to a large, well lit lecture room.
He was placed on a table.
Session 5 procedure ?
At 12 months and 21 days Albert was tested for one last time.
Final tests included a Santa mask, fur coat, the rat, rabbit, dog and blocks.
What were the findings of session 1 ?
When the bar was struck:
He jumped
Buried his head in table
Didn’t cry
Bar struck again:
Fell forward
Whimpered a little
What were the findings of session 2 ?
When retested Albert had a new response to rat:
Stared at it but did not reach
When rat was placed nearer he reached out cautiously and then removed his hand.
Albert played with blocks normally and without caution. Shows his cautious behaviour was only toward the rat.
After further joint stimulation Albert become more and more distressed.
He began to cry and crawled away rapidly.
What we’re the findings of session 3?
Played happily with blocks.
Shown rat and immediately responded with fear.
Successful conditioned response to rat.
Rabbit - extreme response like rat
Watsons hair- no fear
Cotton wool- less cautious
What we’re the findings of session 4 ?
Alberts response to rat, rabbit and dog were less extreme than before. After joint stimulation of rat and noise fear response was stronger.
Noticeably different fear response to blocks played happily with no fear.
Fesr toward furry objects.
What were the findings of session 5 ?
Reasoned differently to test objects than control objects (blocks)
Showed clear disposition to furry objects.
Less extreme fear but still avoided them and often whimpered.
What conclusions can be drawn from Watson and rayner ?
A fear response can be created easily.
Seven joint stimulations in total were given to create this conditioned emotional response.
Can be generalised to other stimuli
What is the evaluation of behaviourist approach ?
Deterministic
Reductionist
Applied successfully
Nomothetic
Nurture
Scientific
Determinism strength and weakness
Strength- allows psychologists to understand human behaviour is determined by external and interval factors for example our environments.
If a child is brought up in a violent environment they are likely to display violent behaviour.
Weakness- gives criminals and humans a way to justify their behaviour as they cannot choose to act differently as it is already pre-determined.
Reductionist strength and weakness
Strength- allows psychologists to identify simple factors that may affect behaviour. It is then easier to modify this behaviour by creating therapies.
Weakness- we are simplifying the complexity of human behaviour. We may lose real understand and lack crucial knowledge. This would reduce effectiveness of treatments.
