Watson & Rayner (1920) - Classic Study Flashcards
What was the aim of Watson & Rayner’s study?
To demonstrate that the principles of classical conditioning can be used to explain how humans acquire phobic behaviour to a stimulus which doesn’t naturally produce a fear response
To show simple emotional responses such as fear can be acquired through the process of classical conditioning
What was the research method of Watson & Rayner’s study?
Lab experiment
Who made up the sample of Watson & Rayner’s study?
Sample consisted of just baby Albert
What was the IV and DV of Watson & Rayner’s study?
IV - pairing of a loud noise (UCS) with a NS (a white rat)
DV - the fear response
How many phases were there in Watson & Rayner’s study?
Three phases of procedure
Pre-conditioning testing
Conditioning trails
Post conditioning test
What happened during the pre-conditioning testing in Watson & Rayner’s study?
Albert - 9 months
Presented with a range of objects one at a time - white rat, rabbit, dog, building blocks etc
He showed no fear of these. His response was then measured to a loud noise made by striking a hammer upon a suspended steel bar
He showed fear to the loud noise - startled and lip trembled
What happened during the conditioning trials of Watson & Rayner’s study?
Taken to a ‘lab’
White rat presented to him when he reached for the rat (NS) the bar struck loudly behind his head (UCS)
Exposed 5 times to UCS + NS paring
He cried reacting to the noise. Was more cautious towards the white rat - not reaching out, pulling away, crying
What happened during the post conditioning test of Watson & Rayner’s study?
Afterwards the effects were tested by showing Albert the rat alone and monitoring his reaction
What were the results/findings of Watson & Rayner’s study?
Before conditioning Albert showed no fear to stimuli other than loud noise created by striking hammer against a metal bar
7 weeks after Albert cried in response to a number of furry stimuli including fur collar of mothers coat
Concluded it is possible to produce fear response in.a human using classical conditioning
What are the strengths of Watson & Rayner’s study?
Reliability
Practical applications
Internal validity
What are the weaknesses of Watson & Rayner’s study?
Ecological validity
Unrepresentative
Ethics
Why is reliability a strength of Watson & Rayner’s study?
Used a standardised procedure allowing for replication
e.g. used same apparatus and conducted testing in the same way
Possible for them to replicate testing on several occasions and check results were consistent
Why is internal validity a strength of Watson & Rayner’s study?
Artificial setting increased internal validity due to strict controls
e.g. Albert had no prior learning due to his age that could have influence led fear response to rats
Why is ecological validity a weakness of Watson & Rayner’s study?
Findings cannot be generalised to other settings outside a lab situation as the procedure used created and unnatural situation that may not reflect everyday life
e.g. Albert exposed to rat lots of tines and always when a loud noise was being made
Why is unrepresentativeness a weakness of Watson & Rayner’s study?
Sample only consisted of Albert, later brought to question when it was suggested baby tested may have had hydrocephalus from birth and may therefore react differently to other babies
