Watson and Rayner (1920): Conditioned Emotional Response (Little Albert)

Question 1

Aim

Answer 1

Can classical conditioning techniques be used to induce the fear response in a human and can the fear be transferred to other objects?

Question 2

Research method

Answer 2

Controlled observation, single participant experiment

Question 3

IV

Answer 3

Control condition - presentation of rat alone

Experimental condition - rat plus loud bang

Question 4

DV

Answer 4

Fear response

Question 5

Participant

Answer 5

Little Albert (pseudonym), 11 months old, son of a wet-nurse, ‘stolid’

Question 6

Procedure

Answer 6

Presentation of rat alone, followed by repeated pairing of presenting white rat with loud bang

Question 7

Results

Answer 7

After a number of pairings Little Albert feared the rat. He also generalised the fear to other white furry objects.

Question 8

EVALUATION: Generalisability

Answer 8

Only one participant, a baby who we later found out had a condition which might have influenced his behaviour

Question 9

EVALUATION: Reliability

Answer 9

Good control of all variables = would allow replication - but this would be unethical so we can’t be certain

Question 10

EVALUATION: Applications

Answer 10

Might explain how phobias develop

Question 11

EVALUTATION: Validity

Answer 11

Laboratory conditions = lack ecological validity

Question 12

EVALUATION: Ethics

Answer 12

Distress to participant

No informed consent from the mother

Question 13

EVALUATION: Subjectivity

Answer 13

Watson & Rayner knew what they were looking for and they persisted with frightening Little Albert until he made the association they were looking for, which took a number of trials