Looking back: Finding Little Albert - Vol. 24, Part 5 ( May 2011) Hall P. Beck, with Gary Irons, reports on a seven-year search for psychology’s lost boy In 1920 the British Psychological Society invited John Broadus Watson to address a symposium on behaviourism (Watson, 1920). Watson was disappointed that his university was unable to fund his crossing. This article provides new information about a study Watson would most likely have presented to the Society had his monetary circumstances been more favourable.
In the winter of 1919/20, Watson and his graduate assistant, Rosalie Alberta Rayner, attempted to condition a baby boy, Albert B., to fear a white laboratory rat (Watson & Rayner, 1920). They later reported that the child’s fear generalised to other furry objects. The ‘Little Albert’ investigation was the last published study of Watson’s academic career. After the last day of testing, Albert left his home on the Johns Hopkins campus. We had learned a great deal about Albert. Her attention was caught by the census. Could Douglas be Little Albert? Raising a Moral Child. Genetic twin studies suggest that anywhere from a quarter to more than half of our propensity to be giving and caring is inherited.
That leaves a lot of room for nurture, and the evidence on how parents raise kind and compassionate children flies in the face of what many of even the most well-intentioned parents do in praising good behavior, responding to bad behavior, and communicating their values. By age 2, children experience some moral emotions — feelings triggered by right and wrong. To reinforce caring as the right behavior, research indicates, praise is more effective than rewards. Rewards run the risk of leading children to be kind only when a carrot is offered, whereas praise communicates that sharing is intrinsically worthwhile for its own sake. But what kind of praise should we give when our children show early signs of generosity? Many parents believe it’s important to compliment the behavior, not the child — that way, the child learns to repeat the behavior.
Photo. Looking Back: The making and breaking of attachment theory - Vol. 22, Part 10 ( October 2009) Barbara Tizard on John Bowlby – the origins of his ideas, their impact and his often underestimated willingness to revise them John Bowlby (1907–1990) first attained fame – some would say notoriety – in 1951, with the publication of his monograph Maternal Care and Mental Health. In it he presented evidence that maternal care in infancy and early childhood is essential for mental health. He claimed this as a discovery comparable to that of the role of vitamins in mental health.
Bowlby’s own experience of maternal care seems to have been limited. He came from a conventional, upper middle-class background, his father a surgeon, knighted for his services to the royal family. According to the custom of this social class, Bowlby and his five siblings were cared for by a nursery staff, at the top of the house, visiting their mother in the drawing room from 5 to 6pm each day. Aged four, he was heartbroken when his nursemaid left. The book made a tremendous impact on the general public.
Peaches v Katie Hopkins.