Finding Little Albert: A Journey to John B. Watson’s Infant Laboratory 

Watson’s original experiment looked to classically condition baby Albert to be afraid of fluffy objects or animals. Watson and graduate student Rayner used loud noise to eventually classically condition Little Albert to fear fussy objects such as rats and bunnies. When they would show Albert the fluffy object or animal, they would present a loud noise so Albert would eventually associate the loud noise (the fear) with the object being presented. Over time of classically conditioning Little Albert he did become fearful of fluffy objects.

Beck, H. P., Levinson, S., & Irons, G. (2009). Finding little albert: A journey to john B. watson’s infant laboratory. American Psychologist, 64(7), 605-614. doi:10.1037/a0017234


 

More Than a Just a Game: Video Game and Internet Use During Emerging Adulthood 

This study looked to examine video games and internet use and their relationship to emerging adulthood. The study examined the excessive video game and internet use to risk behaviors, perceptions of self, and relationships with others. The research suggests that video game and internet use lead to negative outcomes for men and women. Result showed that there were different relations to risk behaviors, perceptions of self, and relationships with others based on the type of internet exposure and gender. The researchers explain that despite the data of this research being exploratory it is the first research that provided some explanation that video game and internet use are related to significant aspects of the individual’s development while emerging adulthood.

Padilla-Walker, L., Nelson, L. J., Carroll, J. S., & Jensen, A. C. (2010). More than a just a game: Video game and internet use during emerging adulthood. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 39(2), 103-13. doi:10.1007/s10964-008-9390-8


 

Pass the ketchup, please”: familiar flavors increase children’s willingness to taste novel foods 

It was hypothesized that when introducing a new food, the child is more likely to like the food if it is dipped in ketchup. Ketchup is a familiar taste and condiment to most Americans therefore having a familiar taste combined with the new food has shown to make the new food more appetizing. This hypothesis was then related to familiar and unfamiliar chips. The results showed that children were more likely to try unfamiliar chips with a familiar dip. This showed that having a familiar condiment can increase children’s willingness to try new foods.

Pliner, P., & Stallberg-White, C. (2000). “Pass the ketchup, please”: Familiar flavors increase children’s willingness to taste novel foods. Appetite, 34(1), 95-103 doi:10.1037/a0017234