Watson & Raynor - desc

Question 1

Aim

Answer 1

To see if fear response to a harmless stimulus (white rat) could be classically conditioned

Question 2

Sample

Answer 2

• Little Albert
• Male
• 11 months old

Question 3

Procedure (pre experiment)

Answer 3

• Before the experiment, the 9 month old was introduced to the rat
• Played with it without fear
• 2 months later the experiment begun

Question 4

Procedure

Answer 4

• Albert on a mattress
• Rat placed near him, allowed to play with it
• Reached out to rat and gurgled
• Touch rat = loud noise
• Hitting metal bar with hammer
• 7 sessions over 7 weeks
• 1 month later his fear was tested

Question 5

Result

Answer 5

• After rat + loud noise = only had to see it for him to show fear (crying and crawl away)
• Also became afraid of white rabbits and cotton wool
• Showed less fear towards the rat 1 month later

Question 6

Conclusion

Answer 6

• Phobias can be the result of classical conditioning
• Phobias can generalise from the original stimulus to similar stimuli
• Albert’s fear weakened, this shows that over time phobias can be extinct