John B. Watson's Little Albert Experiment in AP Psychology

Definition

This was an experiment conducted by behaviorist John B. Watson and graduate student Rosalie Rayner in 1920 which demonstrated classical conditioning in humans by teaching a baby named Albert to fear a white rat.

Theoretical Perspectives

The Little Albert experiment is associated with behaviorism, a perspective emphasizing that behaviors are learned through conditioning. John B. Watson and Rosalie Rayner demonstrated classical conditioning with emotional responses.

Study And Research Findings

In 1920, Watson and Rayner conditioned an infant, "Little Albert," to fear white rats by pairing the neutral stimulus (rat) with a frightening noise. The fear was generalized to other similar objects, illustrating the process of conditioning human emotions.

Related terms

Behaviorism:

A theory of learning based on the idea that all behaviors are acquired through conditioning.

Phobia:

An extreme or irrational fear of or aversion to something. In case of Little Albert, he developed phobia for white rats and similar objects due to conditioning.

Desensitization: The process of reducing sensitivity or reaction to a stimulus over time. It's often used as therapy for phobias where patient is gradually exposed to feared object until fear response decreases.