The Psychological Experiments Iceberg Explained

Snook・2 minutes read

Psychological experiments have had a significant impact on our understanding of the mind, including studies like Pavlov's dog experiment and the Facebook Emotional Cognition Study. These experiments have revealed insights into behavior and ethics, influencing subsequent research in psychology and human behavior.

Insights

  • The Little Albert experiment, despite ethical criticisms, is a significant milestone in psychology, showcasing the malleability of emotions through learned associations and impacting subsequent research in behaviorism and classical conditioning.
  • The Milgram Experiments by Stanley Milgram in the 1960s explored obedience to authority, revealing individuals' capacity to act against their moral beliefs when directed by an authority figure.

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Recent questions

  • What is classical conditioning?

    A: Classical conditioning is a type of learning in psychology.

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Summary

00:00

Impact of Psychological Experiments on Understanding Mind

  • The mind is a complex and incredible tool used daily for various tasks.
  • Scientists conduct psychological experiments to understand how the mind reacts to stimuli.
  • Psychological experiments have significantly impacted our understanding of psychology.
  • Unethical studies have been conducted to test and limit the mind.
  • Pavlov's dog experiment focused on classical conditioning using a bell and food.
  • Piaget's conservation experiments studied how children understand changes in objects.
  • Skinner's box was used to study operant conditioning and animal behavior.
  • The Ash Conformity experiments revealed the influence of group pressure on individual conformity.
  • The Sally Ann test assesses children's theory of mind by understanding false beliefs.
  • The marshmallow experiment explored self-control and delayed gratification in children.

16:41

Unethical Studies in Psychology and Psychiatry

  • Little Albert's real identity remained unknown for many years, with historical evidence pointing to Douglas Merritt as a likely candidate, though not universally accepted.
  • The Little Albert experiment, despite ethical criticisms, is a significant milestone in psychology, showcasing the malleability of emotions through learned associations and impacting subsequent research in behaviorism and classical conditioning.
  • The Facebook Emotional Cognition Study in 2012 manipulated users' news feeds based on emotions, revealing that exposure to positive content led to positive posts and exposure to negative content resulted in negative posts.
  • The study faced criticism for ethical concerns regarding user consent and privacy violations, prompting Facebook to acknowledge the need for better communication and research practices.
  • The Monkey Mother Experiment by Harry Harlow highlighted the critical role of comfort and emotional support in attachment formation, challenging traditional views on the importance of nourishment.
  • Harlow's research also emphasized the severe emotional disturbances caused by maternal deprivation, underscoring the pivotal role of maternal care in emotional development for infants.
  • The Milgram Experiments by Stanley Milgram in the 1960s explored obedience to authority, revealing individuals' capacity to act against their moral beliefs when directed by an authority figure.
  • The experiments raised ethical concerns due to the psychological stress on participants, but Milgram defended the use of deception for the insights gained into human behavior and obedience.
  • The Cetti's Experiments in the 1930s led to the development of Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) for severe mental disorders, initially met with skepticism but later accepted as a psychiatric treatment.
  • The experiments involving triplets in "Three Identical Strangers" shed light on the unethical study by the Louise Wise Services adoption agency, prompting discussions on ethical considerations in research involving human subjects and vulnerable populations.

33:30

Time pressure affects willingness to help others

  • Participants in an experimental design were asked to prepare a talk on various topics, including the parable of the Good Samaritan.
  • Some participants were informed they were late for their scheduled talk, creating time pressure, while others were told they had ample time.
  • The manipulation aimed to mimic real-world scenarios where individuals might be in a hurry.
  • Seminary students, on their way to deliver talks, encountered a person in distress, who was a confederate of the researchers.
  • The study aimed to assess if time pressure influenced participants' willingness to offer assistance.
  • Results showed that students who believed they were late were less likely to stop and help, despite their training on the Good Samaritan theme.
  • The study highlighted the impact of situational factors on human behavior, even in individuals with strong moral foundations.
  • Albert Bandura's Bobo Doll Experiment in 1961 investigated the influence of observable learning and imitation on aggressive behavior in children.
  • The experiment revealed that children who witnessed aggressive behavior were more likely to imitate it, supporting Bandura's social learning theory.
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