John B. Watson is best known for his work with which famous conditioned fear experiment?

John B. Watson is best known for his work with which famous conditioned fear experiment?

• A. Milgram experiments
• B. Little Albert
• C. Bobo Doll experiments
• D. Stanford Prison Experiment

Answer: (B)

Classical conditioning and how emotional responses can be learned are being tested here. John B. Watson’s famous Little Albert experiment showed that fear can be learned through association. In the study, a young child was repeatedly exposed to a white rat paired with a loud, frightening noise. After several pairings, the rat by itself triggered crying and distress. Albert then feared not only the rat but also other similar furry objects, illustrating stimulus generalization. This work helped establish that conditioned emotional responses can form in humans and laid foundational ideas for behaviorism and learning theory, including how phobias may develop. The other famous studies probe different questions: Milgram explored obedience to authority, the Bobo Doll experiments looked at learning through observing others’ aggression, and the Stanford Prison Experiment examined how social roles and environments influence behavior.

Classical conditioning and how emotional responses can be learned are being tested here. John B. Watson’s famous Little Albert experiment showed that fear can be learned through association. In the study, a young child was repeatedly exposed to a white rat paired with a loud, frightening noise. After several pairings, the rat by itself triggered crying and distress. Albert then feared not only the rat but also other similar furry objects, illustrating stimulus generalization. This work helped establish that conditioned emotional responses can form in humans and laid foundational ideas for behaviorism and learning theory, including how phobias may develop.

The other famous studies probe different questions: Milgram explored obedience to authority, the Bobo Doll experiments looked at learning through observing others’ aggression, and the Stanford Prison Experiment examined how social roles and environments influence behavior.