"The Little Albert Experiment" is the research presented by John Watson to satisfy his strong beliefs that were linked with the understanding of the psychological behaviors of animals and human beings. The experiment is associated with some social-psychological impacts. This includes the creation of unemotional and stolid temperament in individuals. The experiment can make individuals unresponsive, develop amimia, lack social awareness and social referencing, or be bounded to a particular stimulus (“American Psychological Association”, 2012). These features suggest that the experiment leads to mental retardation or some other developmental turmoil. Meaning the experiment compromises the normal functioning of the brain of an individual. Besides, the experiment can make individuals to develop the deficient approach, a behavior that is linked with averting response complex when faced by outlandish things.
The theory that applies to the Little Albert Experiment is the behaviorism theory. This theory depends on the scientific hypothesis of response and stimulus. It uses objective and systematic in its approach to the study of behavior. The theory emphasizes on the theory that all organisms react to a specific stimulus (Khan, 2018). Hence, discovering a proper stimulus, as demonstrated in "The Little Albert Experiment," results in a more profound comprehension of behaviors.
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The experiment can be improved to make the precepts of behaviorism more meaningful in modern society in a number of ways. One, an individual to be experimented on, should be of a reasonable age. Two, the individual should undergo a psychological test to ensure that his or her mental condition is normal before experimentation (Griggs, 2014). Finally, the researchers should make efforts to reverse the individual from the developed behavior after finishing their experimentations. This ensures that when the methods such as cognitive therapy and behavioral therapy treatments that are used by doctors to help individuals to recover from unwanted thoughts and behaviors are effective and valid.
References
American Psychological Association. (2012, March). Was 'Little Albert? ill during the famed conditioning study? Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/monitor/2012/03/little-albert
Fridlund, A. J., Beck, H. P., Goldie, W. D., & Irons, G. (2012). Little Albert: A neurologically impaired child. History of Psychology, 15(4), 302.
Griggs, R. A. (2014). The continuing saga of Little Albert in introductory psychology textbooks. Teaching of Psychology, 41(4), 309-317.
Khan, N. (2018, April 13). Behaviorism And The Little Albert Experiment. Retrieved from https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/psychologists/behaviorism-and-the-little-albert-experiment/
