In 1920, psychologist John B. Watson of Johns Hopkins University set out to prove a radical idea. He rejected the Freudian view that phobias came from deep, subconscious conflicts. Instead, Watson argued that while a few basic emotions were innate, the complex emotional lives of adults were built up through learned responses. He believed that fear, rage, and love were the three fundamental, innate emotions that provided the raw material for all other emotional conditioning. This focus on observable actions, not the inner mind, became the foundation of behaviorism. To prove his theory, he and his graduate assistant, Rosalie Rayner, needed to demonstrate they could 'build in' a fear response. They found one in an infant whom Watson referred to in his report as Albert B., though he is now known to history as Little Albert.
The Little Albert Experiment
How a 1920 experiment taught a baby to fear a white rat, changing psychology and research ethics forever.
Summary
The Little Albert experiment was a 1920 study at Johns Hopkins University in which behaviourist John B. Watson and his assistant Rosalie Rayner conditioned an infant known as "Albert B." to fear a white rat by pairing it with a frightening clang of a steel bar. The fear generalised to other furry things — a rabbit, a dog, a fur coat — and Albert was never deconditioned. The study became foundational evidence that emotional responses can be learned, and a standard example of why modern research ethics boards exist.
Key Facts
- Run in 1920 by John B. Watson and Rosalie Rayner at Johns Hopkins University
- Albert was about 9 months old at the start of the study
- A white rat was paired with the loud clang of a hammer on a steel bar until the rat alone caused distress
- The conditioned fear generalised to a rabbit, a dog, a fur coat and a Santa Claus mask
- Albert was never desensitised, and his true identity is still debated by historians of psychology
- The experiment would violate every modern ethical standard for research with children
A Challenge to Freud
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Frequently Asked Questions
What was the goal of the Little Albert experiment?
Psychologist John B. Watson wanted to prove that complex human emotions like fear are learned, not innate. He sought to show that a phobia could be 'conditioned' into a child through simple environmental triggers, challenging the popular Freudian theories of the time.
How did Watson make Little Albert afraid of a rat?
Watson presented a white rat to the 11-month-old infant, who initially showed no fear. Just as Albert reached for the rat, the researchers struck a four-foot-long steel bar with a hammer behind the child's head. After a total of seven pairings, Albert began to cry at the mere sight of the rat.
What happened to Little Albert after the experiment?
Albert's mother withdrew him from the study before Watson could attempt to remove the conditioned fears, leaving the child with his new phobias. Decades later, researchers proposed two different identities for Albert; one died in childhood, while the other lived to age 88 and reportedly had a strong dislike for dogs.
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