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Nature versus Nurture: PHOBIAS (Social learning theory states that we…

- - - - Neutral Stimulus+Unconditioned Stimulus
        
        Evidence: Little Albert
        
        The Experiment: Little Albert, by Watson and Rayner (1920). They conducted an experiment to prove classical conditioning for nurture. 'Little Albert' was exposed to different neutral stimuli and showed a positive or no response towards them. But when it was associated with an unconditioned stimulus over time and repetition the neutral stimulus became a conditioned stimulus and he showed a conditioned stimulus of fear after seeing anything white and fluffy.
      - Unconditioned Response
        
        Evidence: Pavlov's Dog
        
        The UCS (food) produces an UCR (salivation)
        They got a neutral stimulus (bell) which produced no response
        During the conditioning phase: paired the NS with the UCS to produce an UCR
        This then makes the NS become a CS because it produces a CR
        Once Pavlov did it enough times, the dog salivated when the bell rung
        
        Pavlov found that a neutral stimulus can be associated with an unconditioned stimulus and elicit a conditioned response (association is made)
    - - Little Albert
        
        Watson and Raymer wanted to demonstrate the scientific status of Psychology and also prove the principles of Behaviourism – the idea that all behaviour, including human behaviour, is learned. Watson intended to show that powerful emotions were not innate to human beings, but were learned responses to experiences. To do this, he proposed to create an intense fear – a phobia – in a human subject, a 9 month old baby boy.
        
        Evidence: Little Albert
        
        The aim of the experiment was to see if it is possible to induce a fear of a previously neutral stimulus through classical conditioning. The white rat was used as the neutral stimulus as it did not elicit a response from Albert. Whenever a hammer was hit (UCS), Little Albert would show fear (UCR).
        During the conditioning phase, Little Albert was shown a white rat. When he reached out to touch the rat the hammer was banged. The noise would frighten him so the white rat became a CS which produced a CR (fear)
        This suggests that it is possible to produce a fear response to an originally neutral stimuli through association using classical conditioning
      - Deconditioning
        
        Jones' Study (1924)
        Aim: To investigate whether a phobia in a little boy could be reconditioned and whether this would generalise to other objects.