Little Albert Experiment

1. What did Watson's "Little Albert" experiment show?

Watson successfully demonstrated that human beings can be classically condition. The experiment advances classical conditioning experiment that Pavlov undertook with the dogs.

2. How do shaping, generalization, and discriminative stimuli influence operant conditioning?

In stimulus generalization once CR is acquired, organism normally respond that other stimuli similar to the original CS. There is more chances in CR than with similar CS. In discrimination, CR respond only to one stimulus. Similarly, shaping makes the organism respond to stimuli in certain way. All these behavioral patterns result to operant conditioning.

3. What has research shown regarding learning from media?

Classical conditioning influence the way people perceive media and how they regard such information. Attention towards the media can be considered a classical conditioning.

4. Compare and contrast operant and classical conditioning theories.

Classical conditioning involves having a neutral signal for a reflex to take place. The behavior is automatic and involuntary. On the other hand, operant conditioning involves the use of reinforcement to influence a behavior. Unlike the classical approach, the latter weakens or strengthens behavior.