What was the focus of the Little Albert experiment conducted by John Watson?

The Little Albert experiment, conducted by John Watson and his assistant Rosalie Rayner, focused on conditioning emotional responses through sounds, specifically through a process known as classical conditioning. In the experiment, an infant named Albert was exposed to a white rat, and initially showed no fear. However, Watson and Rayner introduced a loud, frightening sound each time Albert reached for the rat. Over time, Albert began to associate the rat with the fear-inducing sound, demonstrating that an emotional response (fear) could be conditioned through the pairing of a neutral stimulus (the rat) with an unconditioned stimulus (the loud noise). This pivotal study illustrated how emotional responses could be conditioned and raised questions about the process of developing phobias and emotional reactions, marking a significant point in behavioral psychology.

The other options do not accurately capture the essence of the experiment. The focus was not on tactile experiences or promoting positive interactions with animals, nor was it aimed at evaluating innate fears in children, as Albert’s reactions were specifically conditioned rather than based on pre-existing fears.