After John B. Watson classically conditioned Little Albert to fear a tame white rat, what was observed in Albert's behavior?

• A. Albert began to show fear responses not only to the white rat but also to other similar objects, such as rabbits and fur coats.
• B. Albert developed a preference for the white rat and sought it out more frequently.
• C. Albert only showed fear toward the white rat and did not react to any other objects.
• D. Albert's fear of the white rat disappeared immediately after the conditioning session.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the concept of classical conditioning, which involves learning to associate a neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus to produce a conditioned response.
2. Step 2: Recognize that in the Little Albert experiment, the white rat was initially a neutral stimulus that became associated with a frightening noise, leading Albert to fear the rat.
3. Step 3: Identify the phenomenon of stimulus generalization, where a conditioned response (fear) extends beyond the original conditioned stimulus to similar stimuli.
4. Step 4: Apply this concept to the observed behavior: after conditioning, Albert showed fear not only to the white rat but also to other similar objects like rabbits and fur coats.
5. Step 5: Conclude that this generalization demonstrates how classical conditioning can influence behavior toward a range of related stimuli, not just the original one.