Psychology Question

The Little Albert experiment is among the most unethical psychological experiments. The experiment was conducted in 1920 by John Watson and Rosalie Rayner at Johns Hopkins University. The hypothesis was that through a series of pairings, they could condition a nine-month-old child to develop an irrational fear. Why do you think this is one of the most famous studies?

The experiment began by placing a white rat in front of the infant, who initially had no fear of the animal. Watson then produced a loud sound by striking a steel bar with a hammer every time little Albert was presented with the rat. After several pairings (the noise and the presentation of the white rat), the boy began to cry and exhibit signs of fear every time the rat appeared in the room. Watson also created similarly conditioned reflexes with other common animals and objects (rabbits, Santa beard, etc.) until Albert feared them all. This study proved that classical conditioning works on humans. One of the most important implications this finding has is that adult fears are often connected to early childhood experiences.

Write an essay summarizing the Little Albert Experiment. How did it support Watson’s view of classical conditioning? What if anything about this experiment was unethical? Can you imagine anything you’ve been classically conditioned to perceive as a phobia? Explain.