Classical research- Little Albert

Question 1

Who conducted this study?

Answer 1

John B Watson
Rosalie Rayner

Question 2

What were the aims of this study?

Answer 2

To see if they could use classical conditioning to condition a healthy baby boy to fear a neutral stimulus (a white rat) by manipulating his environment

Question 3

Questions W&R asked?

Answer 3

-Can a fear of a previous neutral stimulus be conditioned by presenting it stimulus with an established negative stimulus
-Can conditioned response be transferred
-Can it change over time
-How can it be removed

Question 4

What is a stimulus generalisation?

Answer 4

Same response is caused by stimuli that’s similar

Question 5

What is a stimulus discrimination?

Answer 5

The response only occurs to a very narrow range of specific stimuli

Question 6

Classical conditioning schedule of little albert?

Answer 6

Before
UCS: bang –> UCR: Fear
NS: white rat –> no response
During
UCS: bang + NS: white rat –> UCR: Fear
After
CS: white rat –> CR: fear

Question 7

Methodology- participant?

Answer 7

Albert/Douglas
Chosen as he was healthy
His mother was a wet nurse at a hospital at Harriet Lane home for invaded children

Question 8

Methodology- method?

Answer 8

Controlled observation
Not case study as no background research
Not experient as no variables

Question 9

Procedure- before observation?

Answer 9

Healthy child of a wet nurse
-At 9 months albert was tested for reactions to white rabbit, dog, monkey, mask, cotton wool and burning newspaper
-Showed no fear to any objects

Question 10

Procedure- stages?

Answer 10

1: establishing an emotional response 11 month 3 days- 11 month and 10 days
2: Transferring a conditioned response to other stimuli
3: The effect of time on condition

Question 11

Procedure- stage 1: establishing an emotional response what age was this?

Answer 11

11 month and 3 days
11 months 10 days

Question 12

Procedure- stage 1: establishing an emotional response part 1?

Answer 12

> White rat presented to him
-At this time W&R hit a bar, he jumped and buried head in a matress but didn’t cry
Hands went to touch rabbit
-Before it touched bar struck

Question 13

Procedure- Stage 1: establishing an emotional response part 2?

Answer 13

> Rat presented alone, then presented near to Albert
Blocks given to Albert as a distraction
-Repeated joint presentation of rat and bar

Question 14

Procedure- Controlled observation 3 11 months 15 days?

Answer 14

> Rabbit and dog alone with blocks in between
Fur coat and cotton wool alone
Watson put his hair in front of albert
Santa clause mask alone

Question 15

Procedure- stage 2: Transferring a conditioned response to other stimuli, what age was this?

Answer 15

11 month 20 days

Question 16

Procedure- stage 2: Transferring a conditioned response to other stimuli?

Answer 16

1)>Blocks presented
>Rat alone
-Joint presentation of rat and bar 2x
2)>Dog alone
-Joint presentation of dog and bar
3) Changing locations to large well lit uni theater
>Rat, Rabbit and dog together
>Rat alone
-Joint presentation of rat and bar
4) >Blocks given
>Rat alone 2x
>Rat and dog (dog barked loudly)

Question 17

Procedure- stage 3: The effect of time on condition

Answer 17

> Santa clause mask procedure
Fur coat placed on alberts laps
Rat alone then placed on arm then crawled up his cheek
Rabbit placed on lap, hand placed on rabbit then back on his lap
Dog pushed closer to him

Question 18

Findings- stage 1: establishing an emotional response part 1 and 2?

Answer 18

Rat- fell forward, then whimpered
-Played happily with blocks
-When he saw rat he fell to the side and cried and instantly crawled away
-Fell to left then raised on all fours then crawled further

Question 19

Findings- controlled observation 11 month 15 days?

Answer 19

Rat- fell over
Rabbit- whimpered and cried
Cotton wool- kicked with feet
Watsons hair- ignored

Question 20

Findings- stage 2: Transferring a conditioned response to other stimuli?

Answer 20

Rat: Bent over crying
Rabbit: leaned as far to the left as possible
Change of location
Rats: Hands up
Dog: Fell over when it barked

Question 21

Findings- stage 3: The effect of time on condition

Answer 21

Santa clause mask: whimpered and cried
Fur coat: withdrew body
Rat: leaned back and covered eyes
Rabbit: shuddered
Dog: Cried with both hand over face

Question 22

Incidental findings?

Answer 22

Albert sucked his thumb for comfort and his fear disappeared when doing this
-Behaviourists believe this is to block out fear response

Question 23

Conclusion 1- Can a fear of a previously neutral stimulus be conditioned by presenting it simultaneously with an established negative stimulus?

Answer 23

Yes, was tested at 9 months, no sign of fear shown to any stimuli (rat/rabbit)
However after conditioning, fear responses are shown
Conclusively study shows that directly conditioned emotional responses occur when their previously he responded

Question 24

Conclusion 2- Could this conditioned response be transferred to other animals and objects?

Answer 24

Yes, the conditioned response was transferred to other objects and in different location

Question 25

Conclusion 3- Does this conditioned response change over time?

Answer 25

Yes- conditioned response continued after a period of 1 week, Even a month later the response persisted and transferred to other stimuli, view is that responce will persist and modify personality throughout

Question 26

Conclusion 4- If after a long period of time the emotional responses have not died out, how can they be removed?

Answer 26

No, the opportunity to remove the conditioned response was denied (Albert went to hospital)
However it’s likely that responses persist indefinitely
Had they have the opportunity W&R would have attempted to recondition albert feeding him sweets when animals were shown

Question 27

Can this be applied to psychodynamic?

Answer 27

P- Albert’s fear is due to unconscious memory of a secual event concerning his mother, this memory shadows for all things furry
B- Explained as a phobia due to negative experiences leading to a conditioned response