Why Is The Baby Albert Experiment Unethical?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Albert was only nine months old at this time. Now,

Albert could not give consent himself as he was an

. Accordingly, this became one of the grounds on which the experiment was called unethical. Albert's mother did give her consent and was given money by Watson and Rayner

Do you think the Little Albert experiment was ethical or unethical?

This experiment is

considered very unethical

. The researchers failed to decondition Albert to the stimuli he was afraid of, which should have been done after the experiment. Albert ended up passing away at the age of six due to hydrocephalus, a condition that can lead to brain damage.

What was the major criticism of the Little Albert experiment?

The experiment was not carefully designed or conducted, Little Albert's Fears were not Objectively Measured, but were Subjectively Observed. The experiment was unethical because Watson and Raynor, did not extinguish Little Albert's

Fear Response to furry animals and objects

.

What ethical and moral considerations do you think were involved in the Little Albert study?

What ethical and moral considerations do you think were invalid in the little albert study? … –

Ethically

, he should not have conditioned a child to fear things. -The study was not replicated. – Albert was taught FEAR from the loud noise and the sudden loss of support.

What disorder did little Albert have?

They verify that Merritte indeed had

congenital hydrocephalus

, and recounted in disturbing detail treatments the child was subjected to during his first year of life, including repeated cranial and lumbar punctures to reduce fluid buildup in the brain.

What was the conclusion of the Little Albert Experiment?

Thus, the conclusion of the little Albert experiment was that

humans could be conditioned for certain emotional responses

. Further, these emotional responses could be transferred to other stimuli. Also, such responses persisted over a period of time.

What did the Little Albert Experiment prove?

The Little Albert Experiment demonstrated that

classical conditioning—the association

of a particular stimulus or behavior with an unrelated stimulus or behavior—works in human beings. In this experiment, a previously unafraid baby was conditioned to become afraid of a rat.

What Happened to Baby Albert after testing?

Tragically, medical records showed that Douglas

had severe neurological problems and died at an early age of hydrocephalus, or water on the brain

. According to his records, this seems to have resulted in vision problems, so much so that at times he was considered blind.

What did Watson's Little Albert experiment quizlet?

Watson & Rayner's (1920) experiment on ‘Little Albert' demonstrated that

classical conditioning principles could be applied to condition the emotional response of fear

.

What was the uncontrolled stimulus in the case of Little Albert?

In Watson's experiment with Little Albert,

the white rat

was the (conditioned, unconditioned) stimulus, and Albert's crying when the hammer struck the steel bar was the (conditioned, unconditioned) response.

What was wrong with Little Albert experiment?

Watson and Rayner did not develop an objective means to evaluate Albert's reactions, instead of relying on their own subjective interpretations. The experiment also raises many ethical concerns. Little Albert was harmed during this experiment—he left the experiment with a previously

nonexistent fear

.

What are the ethical issues of the Milgram experiment?

The ethical issues involved with the Milgram experiment are as follows:

deception, protection of participants involved, and the right to withdrawal

. The experiment was deemed unethical, because the participants were led to believe that they were administering shocks to real people.

What are examples of ethical considerations?

  • Informed consent.
  • Voluntary participation.
  • Do no harm.
  • Confidentiality.
  • Anonymity.
  • Only assess relevant components.

Why was Little Albert chosen?

The aim of Watson and Rayner was

to condition a phobia in an emotionally stable child

. For this study they chose a nine-month old infant from a hospital referred to as “Albert” for the experiment. Watson followed the procedures which Pavlov had used in his experiments with dogs.

What was the white rat in the Little Albert experiment?

In the Little Albert Experiment the white rat was

the conditioned stimulus

. Behavior which is similar (but not necessarily the same) to the UCR, which is triggered by the CS after classical conditioning. Conditioned responses are learned. E.g. fear when presentation with the white rat.

Who did Little Albert experiment?

“Little Albert,” the baby behind John Watson's famous 1920 emotional conditioning experiment at Johns Hopkins University, has been identified as

Douglas Merritte

, the son of a wetnurse named Arvilla Merritte who lived and worked at a campus hospital at the time of the experiment — receiving $1 for her baby's …

Carlos Perez
Author
Carlos Perez
Carlos Perez is an education expert and teacher with over 20 years of experience working with youth. He holds a degree in education and has taught in both public and private schools, as well as in community-based organizations. Carlos is passionate about empowering young people and helping them reach their full potential through education and mentorship.