Week 5: Watson, Little Albert and Peter Flashcards
What did John Watson believe about human fears?
John Watson believed that in humans, all fears except those of loud noises and loss of support are classically conditioned.
What was the purpose of Watson’s study with Little Albert?
Watson conducted a study to prove that fear could be classically conditioned.
Who was Little Albert?
Little Albert was a healthy and emotionally stable infant who showed no fear except to loud noise.
How did Watson condition Little Albert to fear a white rat?
Watson caused Albert to associate the rat with a loud noise by striking a hammer against a steel bar every time Albert reached for the rat.
What was the outcome of Watson’s experiment with Little Albert?
After repeated pairings, Albert began to cry at the sight of the white rat alone.
What happened to Albert’s fears over time?
When Albert returned to the lab a week later, his fear had generalized to other stimuli, including a rabbit, a dog, and a Santa Claus mask.
What did Watson conclude about fears?
Watson concluded that fears persist and modify personality throughout life.
What did Watson propose for removing fears?
Some of Watson’s ideas for removing fears laid the groundwork for therapies that are used today.
Who was Peter in relation to Watson’s studies?
Peter was a 3-year-old boy who, like Albert, was afraid of white rats and other things.
What technique did Watson and Mary Cover Jones use to help Peter?
They used a technique involving candy and gradual exposure to the rabbit over 38 sessions.
What was the result of the fear removal technique on Peter?
Eventually, Peter grew fond of the rabbit and lost all fear of the fur coat, cotton, feathers, and could tolerate rats.
