What was the outcome for Albert after the conditioning phase?

What was the outcome for Albert after the conditioning phase?

• A. He showed no fear towards the rat
• B. He developed a phobia towards rabbits and similar objects
• C. He became more aggressive towards animals
• D. He learned to avoid strangers

Answer: (B)

The development of a phobia towards rabbits and similar objects is a direct result of the classical conditioning process demonstrated in the Little Albert experiment conducted by John B. Watson and Rosalie Rayner. In this study, Albert was exposed to a white rat and, initially, he showed no fear. However, after being repeatedly exposed to the rat while simultaneously experiencing a loud noise—something that naturally frightened him—Albert began to associate the rat with fear. This association led to a conditioned response, where Albert not only developed fear towards the rat but also generalized this fear to other similar stimuli, such as rabbits and other furry objects. Thus, he exhibited a phobia towards these items, illustrating the principles of conditioning and generalization in behavior.

The development of a phobia towards rabbits and similar objects is a direct result of the classical conditioning process demonstrated in the Little Albert experiment conducted by John B. Watson and Rosalie Rayner. In this study, Albert was exposed to a white rat and, initially, he showed no fear. However, after being repeatedly exposed to the rat while simultaneously experiencing a loud noise—something that naturally frightened him—Albert began to associate the rat with fear. This association led to a conditioned response, where Albert not only developed fear towards the rat but also generalized this fear to other similar stimuli, such as rabbits and other furry objects. Thus, he exhibited a phobia towards these items, illustrating the principles of conditioning and generalization in behavior.