BEHAVOURIST: Watson & Rayner 1920

Question 1

Outline the methodology of Watson and Rayner

Answer 1

• controlled observation on just 1 P - Little Albert ( male infant, used to being in hosptial setting as mother was a wet nurse, strong physical health and emotional stability )
• not case study as not enough depth, not experiment as only one condition, no experimental design
• artificial and controlled enviro, child’s behaviour observed whilst going through predefined procedure

Question 2

Outline the procedure

Answer 2

• Albert placed on mattress in a dark, well lit room. Response recorded with a motion picture camera
• emotional tests: at 8mo 26days a hammer was used to strike a steal bar behind Albert to see if a fear reaction could be created. At 9mo he was tested to see if fear could be created by suddenly bringing in a rat, rabbit, dog, monkey, masks, cotton wool and burning paper
• establishing a CR: 11mo 3 days - white rat presented and as he reached for it, hammer hit steel bar making loud noise. 11mo 10 days - join stimulation. Rat, rat and sound x3, rat, rat and sound x2, rat
• transferring CR to other stimuli: 11mo 15days, generalisation. Albert presented with rat, wood blocks, rabbit, hair etc
• change of setting: 11mo 20 days, taken to lecture hall. Rat, rabbit, dog, rat, rat and sound, rat, rabbit, dog
• effect of time: 1year 21 days - Santa, fur coat, blocks, rat, rabbit, dog
• removal of CR: removed from hospital before last part cold take place. Responses persist indefinitely unless method to remove was accidentally used. IF able to do planned detachment - flooding or reconditioning

Question 3

Outline the findings

Answer 3

• emotional tests: Albert startled violently and arms raised, lips puckered and tremble and begin to cry. Albert showed no fear response to objects prior to conditioning
• establishing a CR: when bar struck he jumped violently and buried face in mattress but no crying. For rat and sound he cried and each time repeated he cried and withdrew. Just rat he immediately cried and crawled away. Demonstrating a fear response can be conditioned to a NS
• transferring: played w blocks, rat - whimper, rabbit - turn and cry, dog - not as bad, fur coat - withdrew. Show didn’t like furry object but was fine with non-furry
• changed setting: rat - no sudden fear, dog - cried, rabbit - turn away, joint rat and sound - jump violently. Demonstrate emotional transfers
• time: sant - withdrew and went to slap, fur coat - withdrew and cried, blocks - play, dog - cry. Persist for minimum of month
• incidental obs: thumb sucking used as a way to block fear and comfort, not pleasure seeking principle as suggested by Freud. Albert became impervious to fear as soon as starting sucking thumb

Question 4

Outline conclusions

Answer 4

• demonstrated the ease with which a fear response can be created
• learned responses can be generalised to similar stimuli - Albert responded to all things fury
• Watson and Rayner suggest many phobias may be acquired this way however the continuation of early CR would only be found in those who are not strong willed. Phobias only occur in those who are constitutionally inferior
• addressed Freuds theory of thumb sucking and it being ‘pleasure seeking’. Albert would do it when upset and in doing so become unresponsive to fear inducing stimuli
• Watson argued that Albert’s phobia would persist until unconditioned
  —> would need exposure and replacement with a positive emotion response ie sweets so stimulus bring up pleasant vibes

Question 5

Evaluation, methodology and procedure: control

Answer 5

• strength
• carried out in a lab so variables can be controlled - dark room. No IV or DV but there was a baseline test done on Albert to see his responses to stimuli before the study so that Watson could be sure his fear responses were due to the study not Albert’s personality. Study filmed with motion camera showing a visual record that future psychologists can watch. Detailed procedures can be replicated and checked for reliability. Ensured observed effects defo due to conditioning.
  —> internal validity

Question 6

Evaluation, methodology and procedure: methodological issues

Answer 6

• weakness
• setting lacks ecological validity - study unnatural and results cannot be generalised to real life. Watson concluded Albert had a phobia of rats and others based on association with fear but without a control group to compare to this cant be confirmed. Repeated exposure of animals to babies could cause fear without the loud noise. Watson also claimed Albert developed a fear for fluffy things but eh could have developed a fear for his situation, the researchers or even Watson himself - animals forcibly pleased on him, researchers in his face, forcibly removing thumb from mouth etc. fear response could be frustration.
  —> ecological validity

Question 7

Evaluation, methodology and procedure: one individual

Answer 7

• weakness
• any conclusions could only be drawn from him
• desired as calm and even tempered
• Watson suggest if he had been emotionally unstable he may have responded with more fear
• without comparison, Albert cannot be generalised
  —> population validity

Question 8

Evaluation, ethics: psychological harm

Answer 8

• weakness
• clear he experienced lots of stress and psychological harm. In modern day, ethical guidelines say patient must leave study in same state they arrived and should experience no more stress than they would in everyday life. Watson and Raine argued Albert didn’t. But Albert left with a new phobia that he wouldn’t have developed in his sheltered life in the hospital.
• ethical guidelines weren’t around in Watsons time so arguably unfair to criticise that
  —> responsibility

Question 9

Evaluation, ethics: consent and right to withdraw

Answer 9

• weakness
• Ps must give consent to join study and in case of children, there must be parental consent. Ps must be able to leave study at whatever point they wish and face no repercussions
• Albert’s mother gave consent but she could have felt pressured by a number of factors - was a wet nurse at john Hopkins where Watson did his research, she would’ve had a lo social status and may have agreed out of fear she’d lose her job if say no as Watson a famous psychologist with much higher social status
  —> competency

Question 10

Evaluation, ethics: confidentiality

Answer 10

• weakness
• in modern day, identities of Ps should be kept secret. Number and letters used not names and info that could be used to identify Ps is not to be used. In Watson and Rayners report, they had Albert’s name, his mothers, where his mother worked, her age, general living area, both ages etc
  —> integrity

Question 11

Evaluation, ethics: social implications

Answer 11

• strength
• although highly unethical it did emphasise how phobias may be due to conditioned emotional responses and can be conditioned in infancy
• demonstrates importance in removing phobias, which is now use widely in therapies
  —> application