(9) Unit 1 - Classical Research: Watson, J.B and Rayner, R (1920) 'Conditioned Emotional Reactions' (findings and conclusions)

What were two of Watson and Rayner’s incidental observations?

Thumb-sucking as a way of blocking fear of an unpleasant stimuli and equal importance of fear and love in conditioning.

When did Albert suck his thumb during the course of these experiments?

Whenever Albert was on the verge of tears or emotionally upset, he would put his thumb in his mouth. He only resorted to thumb-sucking in the presence of fearful stimuli and would stop as soon as his toys were presented to him.

What happened when Albert sucked his thumb?

The moment he began sucking his thumb, he became impervious to the fear-producing stimuli, indicating that, rather than being the expression of pleasure-seeking as Freud would suggest, thumb-sucking is a compensatory device used to block out fear, so much so that before the conditioned response could be obtained, his thumb had to be removed from his mouth.

How does Watson and Rayner’s ‘Conditioned Emotional Reactions’ research contradict the Freudian school?

According to the Freudian school, sex (or love) is the principal emotion in which conditioned responses arise which later limit and distort personality, however, these experiments indicate that fear is as important a factor as love.

What did Watson and Rayner say was probable in regards to phobias?

They are true conditioned emotional responses either of the direct or transferred type.

What did Watson and Rayner say in regards to the persistence of conditioned responses?

They will only be found in people who are not as strong-willed.

What did Watson and Rayner say in regards to emotional disturbances in adults?

They cannot be traced back to sex alone, as Freudians would theorise. They must be considered with regards to conditioned and transferred responses set up in infancy and early youth in all three fundamental human emotions: love, fear and rage.