The Little Albert Experiment

Behaviorists study behaviorism, a school of psychology that centers on the theory that all organisms respond to stimuli. People in this field study a combination of psychological theory, scientific method, and philosophy. Psychological researchers BF Skinner, Ivan Pavlov, and John B Watson studied reinforcement theories to produce wanted behaviors. These psychologists added to the understanding of human behavior with their pioneering research and ideas. 

Skinner primarily worked and developed his theory of radical behaviorism and operant conditioning, Pavlov delved into reinforcing behavior using his theory of classical conditioning, and John B. Watson developed the theory of methodological behaviorism. Watson’s psychological research led to the "Little Albert Experiment", a widely cited, controversial study in which Watson set out to prove that emotional reactions could be conditioned in human subjects. 

John B. Watson and behaviorism

American psychologist John B. Watson established the psychological school of behaviorism. Watson used scientific theory to define and research behaviorism. Before Watson, observation was considered a reliable way to explain and understand psychological behaviors; after Watson, behaviorists studied the scientific method more frequently. 

Using his methodological approach to understanding animal and human behavior, Watson researched through methodological experimentation, child rearing, animal behavior, and advertising, exploring what people respond to and why. Watson's strong belief in the importance of a methodological scientific approach helped him popularize his behaviorist views. From 1908 to 1920, Watson worked as a professor at Johns Hopkins University. In 1913, while he was editor of the "Psychological Review," he lectured at Columbia University on Methodological Behaviorism. This lecture promoted his work and theories to up-and-coming psychologists.

John B. Watson's work contributed to psychology through the development of methodological behaviorism. Behaviorism and its concepts are the basis for many psychological approaches to treatments for behavioral problems. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is one treatment rooted in John Watson's school of behaviorism.

The Little Albert experiment at Johns Hopkins University

John Watson's experiment was the first of its kind and has been recounted in psychology textbooks for decades, though it is often considered controversial. Using a child in a psychological experiment was considered unethical, but Watson wanted to follow the guidelines Pavlov used to condition dogs. Pavlov used food to condition dogs in his experiments, training the dogs to respond to the sound of a bell and associate it with food. Each time the dogs heard the bell, they would salivate, showing they were conditioned to expect food at the sound of the bell. 

In the Little Albert experiment, Watson wanted to show that infants have a natural, innate fear of loud sounds. The experiment was also meant to prove that he could use a loud noise to produce conditioned responses in the child when they were shown a neutral stimulus. Watson believed phobias were developed from external stimuli and were conditioned responses. Watson and his assistant, graduate student Rosalie Rayner, recruited a nine-month-old infant and performed the experiments at Johns Hopkins University.

Watson and Rayner called the child "Little Albert" to hide his identity. They devised a protocol to produce emotional conditioning in the experiment with little Albert. Watson wanted to condition fear and believed his controlled experiment would produce the desired fear conditioning because of the hypothesis that babies fear loud sounds.

Little Albert and the white rat

In the experiment, Little Albert was first presented with a white laboratory rat, which served as the neutral stimulus. The rat approached him and crawled around and on top of him. Albert showed no signs of fear and a mild interest in the rat. During this phase of the experiment, other white furry objects were presented to Albert, including a white rabbit, a white dog, and a Santa Claus mask. Albert showed no fear but was interested in the animals and other furry objects. 

Once Albert was introduced to the objects, they were presented again. However, in the second round of the study, Watson created a loud clang, the unconditioned stimulus, using a hammer and a pipe. The loud noise startled Albert, causing him to cry, the unconditioned response. The researchers repeated this sound several times. First, the object, such as a white rat, was presented, followed immediately by a loud sound. After a few repetitions, Albert began crying at the sight of the rat with no loud noise. The rat, which was previously the neutral stimulus, had become the conditioned stimulus that caused Albert to cry. Albert’s fearful reaction was the conditioned response. During further experiments, the conditioned response of crying was also transferred to all other items from the experiment—a process called stimulus generalization. This lead Watson to believe he had produced an emotionally conditioned response in Albert.

Though it has been widely criticized, Watson’s study is still considered an important contribution to clinical psychology and the behavioral sciences. The Little Albert experiment demonstrated that classical conditioning could produce a fear response in humans. The results of Watson’s experiment were originally published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology in 1920. 

Critics of the experiment

The Little Albert experiment is often cited as a compelling example of emotional conditioning. However, some do not support this view. Some researchers agree that a more extensive study pool or more than one experiment should have been conducted to have comprehensive results that proved Watson had achieved classical conditioning. Infants have different personalities; some are naturally fearful, others are bold, and many are naturally cautious of unfamiliar items, people, and sounds. 

Critics have another reason for not agreeing with Watson's experiment. Some believe the infant was sick when the conditioning experiments took place. The idea that Little Albert was ill at the time of the experiments comes from research into the identity of Albert. Psychologists believe they have tracked down the real Little Albert, Douglas Merritte. According to research published in a paper titled “Finding Little Albert: A Journey to John B. Watson’s Infant Laboratory”, Douglas Merritte was the son of a wet nurse at Harriet Lane Home, a pediatric hospital at Johns Hopkins University. According to John Watson, Albert’s mother held the same role at the same hospital. 

Douglas Merritte was born around the same time as Albert, and he lived with his mother at Harriet Lane Home for the majority of the first year of his life. These clues are frequently cited as evidence that Albert was sick during the experiments. Douglas might have had meningitis at the time of the experiments. Douglas died five years later due to hydrocephalus. If Little Albert was Douglas, he might have been a neurologically impaired child who was too sick to be considered a typical example of a perfectly healthy infant. He may have been dealing with underlying health issues that could have impacted his reactions during the experiment, including whether or not he was actually conditioned to react to the objects.

Other theories on the identity of Little Albert

Some individuals have considered another possible candidate for Little Albert named William Barger. In a paper titled “Psychology’s Lost Boy: Will the Real Little Albert Please Stand Up?” researchers state that William Albert Barger was known to family and friends as Albert, and they used his middle name more than his first name. Modern psychologists use the information from this experiment to shape their hypotheses and theories regardless of who the child was. Today, using a young child in a psychology experiment, such as the one devised by Watson and Rayner, is unethical.

If the child was Douglas Merritte, the long-term effects of this type of conditioning are not fully understood. Using a sick child also puts Watson's reputation on the line. If Douglas is the real Albert, the experiment may not be as effective in explaining conditioning as some find it. Hydrocephaly is painful, and it potentially damages cognitive capabilities. It is speculated that Watson chose Douglas because he was sick; a baby with Douglas's condition would be calm during the initial stages but more likely to react by crying at the sound of the clanging. There are arguments on both sides, and whether the child in the Little Albert study was Douglas Meritte, William Barger, or another child may not be as important as the ethics of this situation and what happened to Little Albert. 

The ethical complications of the Little Albert test

It can be essential to note that testing and clinical trials on children are not commonplace in psychology in the 21st century. Cruel tests where one scares a child or causes traumatic responses can impact that child for life and may cause physical or mental health challenges. Young children cannot consent to being included in experiments, and informed consent was not obtained in Albert’s case. Additionally, the conditioning of the irrational fear was never reversed in Albert. For these reasons, the psychology experiment is often considered unethical and abusive. 

If you're a teen or child experiencing or witnessing abuse or an adult witnessing the abuse of a child, reach out to the Child Help Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 or use the online chat feature.

Behaviorism and modern psychology

Today, the precepts of behaviorism are used in modern psychology experiments to help individuals work through and change unwanted behaviors and thoughts. Cognitive-behavioral, behavioral, and cognitive therapy are all used in the 21st century to treat mental illness, stress, and other mental health challenges. 

However, it may be challenging to find support for those who face barriers like financial insecurity or a lack to services. If you relate, you may benefit from talking to a therapist through a cost-effective and available online platform like BetterHelp. The remote nature of internet therapy makes it cheaper than traditional therapy. You don't have to commute to sessions; you can attend treatment from home via video, phone, or live chat. 

Research shows that online therapy is effective, too. One review explored 373 studies of internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT) and its effectiveness in treating stress responses, depression, anxiety, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and others. The review confirmed online therapy could be as effective as in-person counseling and could remove many of the barriers in place with traditional treatments.

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The experiment is a demonstration of classic conditioning such as the naturally occurring stimuli, which are what behaviorists study. Psychological researchers B.F. Skinner, Ivan Pavlov, and John B. Watson studied theories involving reinforcement with little Albert to produce wanted/specific behaviors. Each of these psychologists added to the understanding of human behavior with their pioneering research and theories. Skinner primarily worked and developed his theory of radical behaviorism and operant conditioning, Pavlov delved into reinforcing behavior using his theory of classical conditioning, and John B. Watson developed the theory of methodological behaviorism.

Using his methodological approach to understanding animal and human behavior, Watson researched through methodological experimentation, child rearing, animal behavior, and advertising (what people respond to and why). Watson’s strong belief in the importance of methodological scientific methods helped him popularize his behaviorism views. In 1913 while he was editor of the “Psychological Review,” he gave a lecture at Columbia University on Methodological Behaviorism, and this lecture helped promote his work and his theories to up-and-coming psychologists.

John B. Watson’s work, especially with little Albert, contributed to psychology through the development of methodological behaviorism. Behaviorism and the concepts it puts forth are the basis for many psychological approaches to treatments for behavioral problems. Cognitive behavioral therapy is one such treatment that has its roots in John Watson’s school of behaviorism.