Behaviourist Classic Evidence - Watson and Rayner (1920)

• Methodology - This research can be described as a controlled observation. Watson and Rayner aimed to use classical conditioning to see if they could condition a fear on to a 9 month old baby (Albert). It was conducted in controlled conditions in a well-lit dark room where Albert was placed on a mattress on top of a table.
• Procedures- First Albert had to take part in emotional tests. They tested to see his reaction to certain objects, one at a time, e.g white rat, rabbit, masks with and without hair, cotton and more. He was then tested with a loud sound where a hammer was struck against a steel bar behind Albert's head. In session 1 Albert was 11 months and 3 days old. A rat was presented to him and Albert started to reach for it. At this point the loud noise was made. In session 2 a week later, he was shown the rat to see if his reaction had changed. Then the joint stimulus occurred 5 times.
• Procedures- Session 3 was 5 days later where Watson tested if the learned link between rat and noise would be generalised to other objects. Session 4 was another 5 days later where more joint stimulation between rat and loud noise took place. He was then taken to a new environment in a well-lit room instead. 1 month later session 5 took place where he was tested for the last time. The final tests included: the rat, a rabbit, a santa mask, fur coat, building blocks.
• Findings - From the emotional tests it was clear Albert had no fear response to any objects. His mother also said he very rarely cried and she had never seen him in a state of fear. After the joint stimulation in session 1 Albert at first fell forward but did not cry but after the second time began to whimper a little. In session 2 when he was first shown the rat he did not reach for it and instead just looked at it and after more joint stimulation he began to cry and crawl away.
• Findings - In session 3 he was presented with other objects, he was fine until presented with the rat as well as the rabbit where he showed fear. After being taken to a new environment in session 4 his reaction to the rat and rabbi were less extreme. However, after further joint stimulation the fear response was stronger. However, he never showed any bad reaction to the building blocks indicating that he only had an issue with furry objects. In session 5 his reaction to furry objects was not as extreme but he still whimpered and avoided them.
• Conclusions - The study demonstrated with ease that fear response can be created. It also showed how the fear of one object can be transferred/generalised to other objects. The rat created fear but late rin the study so did other furry objects.