1. A Journey To John B. Watson’s Infant Laboratory Hall P. Beck Meg Milligan Appalachian State University Troy University Myra Robinson Kristen Geisinger Taylor Pelchar Appalachian State University

2. The “Little Albert” Experiment Watson and Rayner (1920)

3. Objectives To present evidence suggesting that the baby known as Little Albert has been identified To answer the question ‘Whatever happened to Little Albert?’

4. Two Qualifications Time allowed for this presentation does not permit a full accounting of the evidence supporting many of our findings. Our findings were recently submitted for publication. Until the evidence has been subject to the scrutiny of reviewers we prefer not to use actual names. For convenience, the baby Watson conditioned will be called Thomas and his mother, Priscilla.

5. Our Strategy And Sources of Information Strategy: 1) Determine what facts are known about Albert, and 2) Find an individual who matches these attributes. Sources of Information: 1) Watson’s descriptions of the baby studies, 2) the film, The Experimental Investigation of Babies, 3) Watson’s correspondence, 4) members of Albert’s family, and 5) census records, birth and death certificates, and various other documents.

6. Findings 1a. Watson and Rayner (1920) tested Albert during the winter of 1919-1920. At the time of the study, Albert and his mother were living on the Hopkins campus. 1b. Census data show that Thomas’ mother, Priscilla, resided on the Hopkins campus on January 2, 1920. 2a. Watson and Rayner (1920) tell us that Albert’s mother was a wet nurse in the Harriet Lane Home. 2b. According to family history, Priscilla worked in the Harriet Lane Home. Thomas was born on March 9, 1919, so Priscilla was probably lactating at the time of the investigation.

7. Findings 3a. Watson and Rayner (1920) tell us that Albert lived almost his entire first year at Hopkins. 3b. Thomas was born at Johns Hopkins and was cared for by his mother after she left the hospital. Thus, it is highly probable that Thomas lived on campus with his mother during the winter of 1919-1920. 4a. If Albert’s mother was a Hopkins wet nurse, she probably gave birth in or near Baltimore. 4b. Thomas was born in the Johns Hopkins Hospital.

8. Findings 5a. Albert left Hopkins in the early 1920s. 5b. Thomas left Hopkins in the early 1920s. 6a. Albert was a Caucasian male. 6b. Thomas was a Caucasian male. 7a. Albert’s baseline was assessed when he was 8 months 26 days of age. By jointly considering Watson and Rayner’s article, the film, and the Watson’s correspondence with President Goodnow of Hopkins, we determined that baseline was recorded between November 30 and December 12, 1919. 7b. Thomas was 8 months and 26 days of age on December 5, 1919.

9. Thomas-Albert Figure 1. Close-up of Thomas on the left, his age is unknown. Close-up of Albert on the right, he is 8 months and 26 days of age.

10. That‘s All Folks