I think that looking in the mirror would be a good example of why his (possible) fear of white rats would not have continued. Assuming that you are not scared by your own face in youth, your hair would slowly go from not grey to grey to white. It would be like systematic desensitization. I suspect that lots of other experiences also would serve to weaken any response to white, hairlike stimuli. Besides that, I have watched the Little Albert stuff on YouTube many times. When they present the white rat to him and he is unhappy, I think it is unclear that he is afraid of the rat. He could have just been really tired of that game.
Rick Stevens Psychology Department University of Louisiana at Monroe [email protected] SL - Evert Snook On Mon, Sep 5, 2011 at 5:40 PM, Beth Benoit <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > I always used the example that when "Albert" got older, he may have been > afraid to look in the mirror, since he would have had white hair (and maybe > a white beard). But then I would add that it's more likely that a lack of > reinforcement would have made the response weaker, and unlikely to persist. > Still, a fun example, and hopefully memorable for our students. > > Beth Benoit > Granite State College > Plymouth State University > New Hampshire > > On Mon, Sep 5, 2011 at 6:25 PM, Joann Jelly <[email protected]> wrote: > >> It had to happen. We all knew (watching "Law & Order" now and then) that >> Little Albert would be found; yet there was something sort of nostalgic to >> his lack of identification. >> >> I wonder if at 20 should some loved one had given him a white terry cloth >> robe, would he have freaked out and cried," I don't know but I hate white >> furry." >> >> I guess I am trying to make another mystery out of the old one; Watson >> still has not been exonerated, has he? >> >> Joann Jelly, Ed.D. >> Barstow College >> >> ________________________________ >> >> From: Beth Benoit [mailto:[email protected]] >> Sent: Sun 9/4/2011 4:28 PM >> To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) >> Subject: Re: [tips] The Finding Little Albert activity >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> Michael, >> As usual, you have supplied a fun, exciting and informative exercise to >> keep our students thinking. >> >> It must have been fun for you to put all of those "eureka" moments >> together! >> >> Beth Benoit >> Granite State College >> Plymouth State University >> New Hampshire >> >> >> On Sun, Sep 4, 2011 at 2:18 PM, Michael Britt <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> Excuse the cross-posting, but I am very excited to announce the >> availability of a new activity that can be used in class or online and which >> I hope you'll find valuable enough to use with your students. >> >> In 2009 the journal American Psychology published an article >> entitled, "Finding Little Albert: A Journey to John B. Watson's Infant >> Laboratory". It was a fascinating article detailing the author's 5 year >> effort to identify the real identity of "Little Albert". The evidence in >> favor of his conclusion that a boy named Douglas Merritte is "Albert" is >> very, very convincing. >> >> I found the article fascinating reading and a great example of an >> historical detective at work I decided it would make a great classroom or >> online activity and I have been working with the author - Hall Beck - for >> the past 8 months to break down the key steps in his investigation. The >> result is an activity I hope you'll find valuable enough to try out with >> your class. >> >> The "Finding Little Albert" activity presents students with: >> >> >> * information, questions, clues and hints >> * solutions to the questions (so they can move along in class >> or at their own pace) >> * photos of Albert and Douglas for comparison >> * Douglas' family tree >> * the "trunk in the attic" which contained a picture of >> Douglas/Albert >> * a map >> * a census report >> >> >> ...as it takes students down the path of identifying Albert's real >> identity. >> >> I hope students will enjoy this small taste of what's involved in >> one case of fascinating historical research in Psychology. >> >> My research assistant, Caitlin O'Loughlin, worked with me to create >> a brief survey at the end of the activity which can be taken by both >> instructors and students. I hope you and your students will take the time >> to fill out the survey to give us feedback to improve the experience. Our >> goal is to present the activity at a psychology conference in 2012. >> >> Here's the link: >> >> http://www.ThePsychFiles.com/albert >> >> Hope you enjoy it! >> >> Michael >> >> >> Michael A. Britt, Ph.D. >> [email protected] >> http://www.ThePsychFiles.com <http://www.thepsychfiles.com/> >> Twitter: mbritt >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> --- >> >> You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]. >> >> To unsubscribe click here: >> http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13105.b9b37cdd198e940b73969ea6ba7aaf72&n=T&l=tips&o=12430 >> >> (It may be necessary to cut and paste the above URL if the line is >> broken) >> >> or send a blank email to >> leave-12430-13105.b9b37cdd198e940b73969ea6ba7aa...@fsulist.frostburg.edu >> >> >> >> >> >> >> --- >> >> You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]. >> >> To unsubscribe click here: >> http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13010.76185584223b2f7b9f3a91a2f9913135&n=T&l=tips&o=12435 >> >> (It may be necessary to cut and paste the above URL if the line is broken) >> >> or send a blank email to >> leave-12435-13010.76185584223b2f7b9f3a91a2f9913...@fsulist.frostburg.edu >> >> >> >> >> --- >> You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]. >> To unsubscribe click here: >> http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13105.b9b37cdd198e940b73969ea6ba7aaf72&n=T&l=tips&o=12460 >> or send a blank email to >> leave-12460-13105.b9b37cdd198e940b73969ea6ba7aa...@fsulist.frostburg.edu >> > > --- > > You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]. > > To unsubscribe click here: > http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13526.d532f8e870faf8a0d8f6433b7952f38d&n=T&l=tips&o=12461 > > (It may be necessary to cut and paste the above URL if the line is broken) > > or send a blank email to > leave-12461-13526.d532f8e870faf8a0d8f6433b7952f...@fsulist.frostburg.edu > > > --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]. 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