Watson and Raynor

Cards (9)

  • AIM
    Demonstrate that Classical Conditioning can be used to create an irrational fear in humans.​
    Phobias are a result of conditioning​
    Fear could be transferred to similar animals and objects (stimulus generalisation)​
    Effect of time and environment on conditioned response
  • Procedure P1
    • One ppant – little Albertexperiment not case study​
    • Main IVstimulus​, later was setting and time​
    • DVfear response (crying shaking trembling)​
  • Procedure P2
    • At 9 months had no fear of the rat, but did of loud noises (hammer on steel bar)​
    • At 11 months​:
    • Made noise whenever white rat placed in lap – done 2x then 5x in the next week​
    • 12 days later established causing fear​
    • Then tested other white furry objects (rabbit, dogwool)​
    • 17 days later tested rabbit + dog with noise + other stimuli​
    • Also tried other rooms​
    • 1 month and 18 days later exposed to a variety of stimuli to see persistence over time
  • Findings
    • By the 5th trial, he showed fear of rat (whimpered, trembled, cried)​
    • 12 days after showed fear of other white furry objects (rabbit, dogwool) - stimulus generalisation​
    • 17 days after was distressed at rabbit + dog + had same fear response in different room​
    • 1 month 18 days later still had negative fear response​
  • Conclusion
    • A conditioned emotional response can occur in a human after only a few pairings of stimuli, but the pairings may have to be repeated.​
    • The conditioned response can:​ be transferred to similar objects​, show in different settings​, persist over time​
    • Little Al was removed from the study so there was no means of seeing if the response could be extinguished​
  • :) Objective
     W+R filmed LA reactions to white rat before and after pairing w bang so can easily be cross-reviewed by other researchers. T/f internal validity that LA learned fear of white rat due to CC
  • :) Confidentiality
    W+R protected identity of ppant, giving pseudonym LA so public didn’t harass. T/f doesn’t breach ethics as protects LA's identity​
  • :( Population Validity
     behaviour of one ppant evaluated (lil A). T/f lacks pop validity and LA's behaviour cant be generalised
  • :( Deception
    W+R didn’t initially reveal full aim to LA's mother, who withdrew immediately after finding out that the study was on.... T/f study was unethical​