Classic Study: Watson and Rayner (1920)
Little Albert: conditoned emotional reactions
Aim:
To demonstrate that simple emotional responses such as fear can be acquired through a
process of classical conditioning.
Procedure:
2 conditons and 1 participant. N = 1 pro-
experiment, so not a true experiment.
Baseline emotions test: Albert was
presented to a white rat, a rabbit, a dog,
a monkey, various masks, cotton wool and
a set of wooden blocks - one at a time.
Loud noise was tested with a hammer on a
steel bar.
Session 1:
Albert was 11 months old and 3 days, taken to a ‘lab’. A white rat was presented to him and
when he reached towards it, the bar was struck loudly.
Session 2:
A week later, he returned. He was exposed 5 times to the rat and the loud noise. From this
point he was tested with the block, to which he showed no fear.
Session 3:
A further 5 days later, Albert returned and his response to the rat and a ragne of other
objects was recorded.
Session 4:
5 days after that, he was taken to a new environment - a lecture room with 4 people. Assesed
to the various objects.
Session 5:
One month later when he was 1 years old, they did the final test. It involved a Santa Claus
mask, fur coat, the rat, a rabbit, the dog and the blocks.
Little Albert: conditoned emotional reactions
Aim:
To demonstrate that simple emotional responses such as fear can be acquired through a
process of classical conditioning.
Procedure:
2 conditons and 1 participant. N = 1 pro-
experiment, so not a true experiment.
Baseline emotions test: Albert was
presented to a white rat, a rabbit, a dog,
a monkey, various masks, cotton wool and
a set of wooden blocks - one at a time.
Loud noise was tested with a hammer on a
steel bar.
Session 1:
Albert was 11 months old and 3 days, taken to a ‘lab’. A white rat was presented to him and
when he reached towards it, the bar was struck loudly.
Session 2:
A week later, he returned. He was exposed 5 times to the rat and the loud noise. From this
point he was tested with the block, to which he showed no fear.
Session 3:
A further 5 days later, Albert returned and his response to the rat and a ragne of other
objects was recorded.
Session 4:
5 days after that, he was taken to a new environment - a lecture room with 4 people. Assesed
to the various objects.
Session 5:
One month later when he was 1 years old, they did the final test. It involved a Santa Claus
mask, fur coat, the rat, a rabbit, the dog and the blocks.
