Watson and Rayner evaluation

• Who conducted the research on conditioned emotional reactions in 1920?


  Watson and Raynor
• What is a key ethical issue in Watson and Raynor's research?


  • Risk of stress, anxiety, frustration, or pain
  • Little Albert's personality changed, becoming anxious
  • Research should have been suspended when negative effects were clear
• What was the outcome of Little Albert's participation in the research?


  He became an anxious and grumbly young child
• What should Watson and Raynor have done to be ethical in their research?


  They should have cancelled the research when negative effects were evident
• What potential psychological issue might Little Albert have developed due to the research?


  Post-traumatic stress
• What are the concerns regarding consent in Watson and Raynor's research?


  • Little Albert's mother was a low-paid hospital worker
  • Questionable if valid consent was obtained
  • Power difference may have affected informed consent
• Why is the consent obtained from Albert's mother considered questionable?


  Due to the power difference between the researchers and Albert's mother
• What did critics suggest about the consent process in Watson and Raynor's research?

  That valid consent was not obtained
• What are the social implications of Watson and Raynor's research?

  • Suggests children's behavior can be conditioned
  • Conditioning techniques can positively shape behavior in education
  • Can maximize learning and results in schools
• How can conditioning techniques be used in education according to Watson and Raynor's research?


  To positively shape young people's behavior
• What did McAllister et al (1968) find regarding teacher feedback?


  Increased praise and disapproval decreased inappropriate talking
• What are the potential negative effects of conditioning techniques in education?

  • Rewards/punishments may be harmful
  • Can create reliance on external rewards
  • Risks developing generations with no intrinsic motivation
• Why is intrinsic motivation important for individuals beyond childhood?

  Because rewards are not readily available in adult life
• What is a positive aspect of Watson and Raynor's research methodology?

  • High degree of control over extraneous variables
  • Conducted in a well-lit dark room
  • Increased experimental validity of the research
• What factors were controlled in Watson and Raynor's research?

  The presentation of furry objects and the location
• What is a limitation regarding the sample used in Watson and Raynor's research?

  It consisted of only one participant, Little Albert
• What does the use of only one participant in the study imply?


  • Difficult to generalize findings to other children
  • Limited application to society
  • Findings may not represent broader behavioral responses
• What was a positive component of Watson and Raynor's procedures?

  • Baseline measurements were established
  • Allowed comparison of Albert's behavior before manipulation
  • Control condition showed preference for furry objects
• Why is having a baseline control condition important in research?


  It makes findings more scientific and credible
• What was a negative aspect of Watson and Raynor's procedures?

  • Procedures were not completed as originally planned
  • Counter-conditioning was not performed
  • Albert left with a specific phobic problem
• What ethical issues arise from the incomplete procedures in Watson and Raynor's research?

  Serious ethical concerns regarding Albert's well-being