Behaviourist Classic Evidence

Question 1

What is the classic research within the behaviourist approach refers?

Answer 1

Little Albert

Question 2

Who were the researchers?

Answer 2

Watson and Rayner (1920)

Question 3

What were Watson and Rayner investigating?

Answer 3

If they could condition a healthy baby boy to fear a neutral stimulus (a white rat) by manipulating his environment.

Question 4

What was the classical conditioning schedule of Little Albert?

Answer 4

Bang (UCS) → Crying (UCR)
Rat (NS) → No response
Bang (UCS) + Rat (NS) → Crying (UCR)
Rat (CS) → Crying (CR)

Question 5

Methodology - who was the participant?

Answer 5

Albert

Question 6

Methodology - why was he selected?

Answer 6

He was a healthy baby

Question 7

Methodology - what was the method?

Answer 7

Controlled observation

Question 8

Week one
Procedure?
Findings?

Answer 8

Procedure:
-Rat was presented.
-Bar struck (loud noise).
-Albert buried head in mattress.
Findings:
-Albert whimpered.

Question 9

Week two
Procedure?
Findings?

Answer 9

Procedure:
-Blocks given as distraction.
-Repeated joint presentation of rat and bar (loud noise).
Findings:
- Played happily with blocks.
- Albert instantly crawled away and cried.

Question 10

Week three
Procedure?
Findings?

Answer 10

Procedure:
- Rabbit and dog presented with blocks in-between.
- Fur coat and cotton wool.
- Santa Clause mask alone.
Findings:
- Bent over crying in response to rat.
- Leaned away from rabbit.

Question 11

Week four
Procedure?
Findings?

Answer 11

Procedure?
- Blocks presented.
- Joint presentation of bar and rat.
- Rat alone then bar x2, then rat alone.
Findings?
- Rat = fell over.
- Rabbit = cried.
- Cotton wool = kicked away.

Question 12

Week five
Procedure?
Findings?

Answer 12

Procedure?
- Santa clause mask.
- Fur coat on lap.
- Rat placed on arm.
- Rabbit placed on lap
Findings?
- Santa mask = cried.
- Fur coat = withdrawn body.
- Rat = leaned away and covered eyes.

Question 13

Conclusions?

Answer 13

• A conditioned response changes over time.
• The response can be transferred to other animals and objects.
• Fear of a previously neutral stimuli can be conditioned by presenting it with an established negative stimulus.

Question 14

How does this disagree with the psychodynamic theory and Freud’s views?

Answer 14

Freud would explain that if Albert were to seek support for his phobia, it was because he tried to play with his mothers pubic hair and was scolded causing him to push the memory into the unconscious memory, whereas Watson and Rayner said that a fear could be conditioned by this experience.

Question 15

What is a strength in methodology of the experiment?

Answer 15

High levels of control:
- controlled environment (no EV’S)
- Filmed Study.
- Baseline test before study to show any pre-existing responses towards stimuli.

Question 16

What is a weakness of the methodology of the experiment?

Answer 16

Low ecological validity:
- Unnatural environment.
- Phobias usually naturally occurring.

Question 17

What is a weakness with the sample?

Answer 17

Only one participant:
- Without control group to compare to, cannot make complete conclusion.

Question 18

What is a weakness of ethics within the study?

Answer 18

Informed consent:
- Mother was unaware of principles of experiment.
- Underage to give full consent.
Protection from harm:
- Great distress and harm to Albert.
- Left experiment with trauma and phobias.
Confidentiality:
- Filmed and published to media and could be identified.
Right to withdraw:
- Physically unable to withdraw.

Question 19

What were the scientific benefits to the study?

Answer 19

Allowed scientists and doctors to have a bettered understanding of phobias and treatments

Question 20

What were the social implications of Watson & Rayners study?

Answer 20

Education:
- Association of the classroom with learning.
Law:
- Use of aversion therapy for undesirable behaviour.
Health:
-Cures for phobias.
Families:
- Conditioning to shape children’s behaviour.
Workplace:
- Application to advertisements.

Question 21

What is the alternative evidence?

Answer 21

O H Mowrer (1947) proposed operant conditioning could explain the maintenance of phobias that have been by classical conditioning.