Mary Cover Jones was a behaviorist. She worked with Dr. Watson. Dr. Watson conducted a study of fear on a famous experiment called Little Albert. Dr. Watson researched how a person can be conditioned to fear. Mary Cover Jones attended a lecture where Dr. Watson talked about conditioning and Little Albert. Jones approached Watson and asked him about “eliminating fears” through conditioning. Dr. Watson gave her his go ahead to move forward with her idea. The idea was that Mary Cover Jones will counter condition Little Albert however he was taken abruptly out of Dr. Watson’s study. Mary Cover Jones came across another child whose name was Peter. This paper will give an overall look at Mary Cover Jones work with Peter and the different methods
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So the rabbit was chosen for the purpose of unconditioning Peter to these fears to start the process the experimenters also selected three other children. The selection process was based on the fearlessness these three other children showed of the rat and the easiness of adjustment to situations. These children were selected as models for Peter. The rabbit was used to in a portion of everyday play and Peter would be observed to see his reactions if any. At times Peter was brought in alone, without the other three children to observe his reaction towards the rabbit and whether or not there was an improvement to keep track of his progress throughout the study. The experimenters brought the rabbit closer to Peter each session and noted his reactions and eventually Peter had lost the fear he had of the rabbit. Peter went through a series of “degrees of toleration” and he indeed progressed. Peter would let the rabbit nibble on his fingers and would not show any type of fear towards the rabbit. The experiment on Peter was not as smooth as the experimenter would have …show more content…
Despite the classic that the Peter study has since become, it was given little regard at the time it was undertaken and was dismissed as an unsuitable subject for her dissertation (Jones, 1974). She can afford to look back in quiet reflection, finding it amusing ‘that it has received so much attention more recently I still have yellowed stacks of reprints. No one was interested in them at the time’ (Jones, Note 1).
References
Jones, M. C. (1924). A laboratory study of fear: The case of Peter. Pedagogical Seminary, 31, 308-315
Jones, M. C. (1924). The elimination of children’s fears. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 382-390 [a]
Jones, M. C. (1974). Albert, Peter, and John B. Watson. American Psychologist, 29, 581-583
Logan, D. (1980). Mary Cover Jones: Feminine as Asset. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 103-115.
Mussen, P., & Eichorn, D. (1988). Mary Cover Jones (1896–1987). American Psychologist, 818-818.
Ventis, W., Higbee, G., & Murdock, S. (2001). Using Humor in Systematic Desensitization to Reduce Fear. The Journal of
So the rabbit was chosen for the purpose of unconditioning Peter to these fears to start the process the experimenters also selected three other children. The selection process was based on the fearlessness these three other children showed of the rat and the easiness of adjustment to situations. These children were selected as models for Peter. The rabbit was used to in a portion of everyday play and Peter would be observed to see his reactions if any. At times Peter was brought in alone, without the other three children to observe his reaction towards the rabbit and whether or not there was an improvement to keep track of his progress throughout the study. The experimenters brought the rabbit closer to Peter each session and noted his reactions and eventually Peter had lost the fear he had of the rabbit. Peter went through a series of “degrees of toleration” and he indeed progressed. Peter would let the rabbit nibble on his fingers and would not show any type of fear towards the rabbit. The experiment on Peter was not as smooth as the experimenter would have …show more content…
Despite the classic that the Peter study has since become, it was given little regard at the time it was undertaken and was dismissed as an unsuitable subject for her dissertation (Jones, 1974). She can afford to look back in quiet reflection, finding it amusing ‘that it has received so much attention more recently I still have yellowed stacks of reprints. No one was interested in them at the time’ (Jones, Note 1).
References
Jones, M. C. (1924). A laboratory study of fear: The case of Peter. Pedagogical Seminary, 31, 308-315
Jones, M. C. (1924). The elimination of children’s fears. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 382-390 [a]
Jones, M. C. (1974). Albert, Peter, and John B. Watson. American Psychologist, 29, 581-583
Logan, D. (1980). Mary Cover Jones: Feminine as Asset. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 103-115.
Mussen, P., & Eichorn, D. (1988). Mary Cover Jones (1896–1987). American Psychologist, 818-818.
Ventis, W., Higbee, G., & Murdock, S. (2001). Using Humor in Systematic Desensitization to Reduce Fear. The Journal of