Evaluation of Watson and Rayner 1920

Evaluation points for Watson and Rayner 1920:

GENERALISABILITY:

As this is a study with one participant of 9 months at start and 12 monts at end of study the results cannot be generalised because the sample is too small and narrow.

ALBERT had been reared in a hospital environment from birth he was unusual as he had never been seen to show fear or rage by staff, Therefore Little Albert may of responded differently in this experiment to how other young children may of as these findings are unique to him and therefore cannot be generalised.

RELIABILITY:

The study has high reliability as it uses a standardised procedure that allows for high control and replication of the study.

e.g. experiment is split into specific stages: preconditioning, conditioning trails, post-conditioning tests.

APPLICATIONS TO EVERYDAY LIFE:

This research has demonstrated that phobia can be learnt through the process of classical conditioning therefore if we can understand the development of phobias…