watson and rayner - RAVES

• R

  replicable

  controlled observation (5 distinct sessions) and standardised procedures and filmed

  can be repeated to check for consistent results into effects of conditioning on fear reactions

  therefore, high external reliability
• A

  evidence to suggest not all phobias develop as a result of conditioning > might have a phobia of something we've never had any experience of

  Seligman - humans = genetically programmed to quickly learn association between certain stimuli and fear for survival purposes

  therefore, some phobias may be innate (nature) rather than learned
• A

  psychodynamic approach disagrees with conclusions that phobias are learnt through conditioning

  freud - phobias = projection of unconscious conflicts and fears

  > conflicts with conclusions that conditioning is responsible for phobias being formed > suggests there are alternative explanations for phobias
• V

  controlled observation - controls EVS - emotional tests

  use of blocks as control and ability to control procedures (objects and joint stimulation)

  high internal validity of method, procedure, findings and conclusions > as they have a legitimate measure of effects of conditioning on fear response
• V

  sample = 1 male participant

  how LA responded may be different to other children (females / different backgrounds)

  findings = unique to him > difficult to generalise target population of how all individuals respond to conditioned fear reactions

  low external / population validity
• V

  controlled conditions = very artificial (test reactions in different rooms)

  difficult to generalise findings of reactions to other environments as a conditioned fear response may be learned differently / not at all

  therefore, method and findings may lack external validity
• E

  w+r defend ethics - harm experienced was no more than everyday rough and tumble

  intended to decondition, but mother removed LA from hospital before they could

  ethical guidelines didn't exist at the time of the research
• E

  didn't deal with ethics

  didn't debrief LA's mother / return LA to his original state of no fear to furry objects > highly unethical
• E

  psychological harm to vulnerable participant - unethical

  create distress and potential lifelong fear response in infant and prevented him from calming himself by sucking his thumb
• S

  health sector - phobias = learned response - possible to unlearn

  led to successful application in form of systematic desensitisation > counterconditions fear response with one of relaxation

  valuable in phobia treatment > positive implications
• S

  environment and conditioning can affect human emotion and behaviour > used in education

  Le Francois - used classical conditioning to improve students performance by maximising pleasant stimuli in classrooms and reducing unpleasant stimuli

  students = associate school with positive experiences > increased attendance and better grades

  individual benefits for student and wider benefits for society > better qualified people > more skills for jobs and lower unemployment