Classic Study: Watson & Rayner (1920)

Question 1

What were the aims of Watson and Rayner’s study?

Answer 1

• To investigate whether you could condition a phobia into a child
• To investigate whether the phobia would be generalised
• To investigate whether time would effect the conditioned response
• To investigate whether the phobia can be conditioned out of a child

Question 2

Who were used in the sample?

Answer 2

A single ppt called Little Albert aged 9 months.

Question 3

What type of method was used?

Answer 3

Lab

Question 4

Briefly describe the procedure of this classic study.

Answer 4

• At 9 months Albert was assessed on his responses to a number of objects such as: a white rat, father Christmas mask, etc.
• 2 months later Albert was presented with the white rat again
• When he reached for it the experimenters hit a metal bar to frighten him
• The rat was the NS, the metal bar was the UCS and the fear response was the UCR
• The procedure was repeated 5 times a week later and 2 times more 17 days later

Question 5

What were the results of Watson and Rayner’s study?

Answer 5

• The first trial when the metal bar was hit Albert displayed distress by jumping violently
• The second trial Albert was suspicious of the rat
• The third trial Albert leaned away from the rat
• When a rabbit was placed next to him Albert cried
• 7 weeks later Albert cried in response to a white fury coat showing the fear had generalised

Question 6

Describe the conclusion of this experiment.

Answer 6

It demonstrates that it is artificially possible to induce emotional responses by classical conditioning and from this it suggests that phobias can be learned from the environment.

Question 7

Evaluate the generalisablity using a low point.

Answer 7

P - Low
E - Used a single participant design of an 9 month old boy from America.
Albert has also been reared in a hospital environment since birth and he was unusual as he had never shown fear or rage
E - LA may have responded differently in this experiment to how other young children may have. Findings may be unique to him

Question 8

Evaluate the reliability using a high and low point.

Answer 8

P - High
E - Followed a standardised procedure. Preconditioning phase and the 7 episodes of joint stimulation (rat and sound) and the rat being presented alone
Also hitting the metal bar every time Albert reached for the rat.
E - Easily replicable

Question 9

Are there any applications?

Answer 9

P - Yes
E - They found that phobias can be learnt through classical conditioning with Little Albert associating fear from a loud noise with a rat
E - This gives us more of an understanding and this has therefore led to developments of treatments for phobias, such as systematic desensitisation that use the principles of classical conditioning by associating the object of fear with something good. E.g. it involves taking the patient through a fear hierarchy, and works on the theory of reciprocal inhibition (patients replace feeling fear with relaxation).

Question 10

Evaluate the validity using 2 low points.

Answer 10

P - Low ecological
E - Took place in artificial conditions
E - Unnatural situation of hitting a metal bar when presented with a rat may not reflect learning in real life
P - Low
E - No control group meaning it could have been down to a repeated exposure to the animal
E - Therefore cannot establish cause and effect

Question 11

Evaluate an ethical issue.

Answer 11

P - Unethical
E - Little Albert’s mother withdrew him from the study before Watson and Rayner could uncondition the fear
E - Therefore he has sustained long term psychological harm