A high school social science lesson exploring the ethical complexities and foundational impact of the Stanford Prison Experiment, Little Albert, and Bobo Doll studies. Students analyze the tension between scientific discovery and human rights while learning about modern ethical standards like informed consent and IRBs.
Committees that review and approve research before it begins to ensure participant well-being.
informed consent was questionable
dual role
"Thinking about this, what responsibilities do researchers have to their participants, especially when studying potentially sensitive topics like power and authority?"
[ NOTES / STUDENT ANSWERS SPACE ]
Phase 3: Little Albert and Bobo Doll (10 Minutes)
Slide 5: Little Albert: Conditioning Fear
"Next, let's turn to another controversial study involving a very vulnerable participant: Little Albert. In 1920, John Watson and Rosalie Rayner conducted an experiment to demonstrate classical conditioning in humans. They took a nine-month-old infant, Albert, and conditioned him to fear a white rat. How? By striking a steel bar with a hammer behind his head whenever he reached for the rat, creating a loud, startling noise."
"Albert quickly associated the rat with the terrifying noise and began to cry and show fear whenever he saw the rat, even without the noise. This fear then generalized to other furry objects. The ethical concern here is obvious: they intentionally induced a phobia in a baby, and there's no evidence he was ever de-conditioned."
Slide 6: The Bobo Doll: Learning Aggression
"Moving on to another study involving children, though with different implications, we have Albert Bandura's Bobo Doll experiments from the early 1960s. Bandura wanted to demonstrate observational learning, or social learning theory – the idea that we learn by watching others. Children observed adults interacting with a Bobo doll, which is basically a large, inflatable toy. Some adults were aggressive, hitting and yelling at the doll; others were non-aggressive."
"What do you think happened when the children were later given access to the Bobo doll?"
[ COLLECT ANSWERS ]
"The children who observed aggressive behavior were far more likely to imitate that aggression, even using the exact phrases and actions they had witnessed. This showed how powerful modeling can be in shaping behavior, even aggressive behavior in children."
Slide 7: Ethical Considerations
"Both Little Albert and the Bobo Doll experiments raise serious ethical questions, especially because they involved minors. In Little Albert's case, fear was intentionally induced in a baby without clear plans for long-term follow-up or de-conditioning. For Bobo Doll, while aggression isn't quite fear, intentionally exposing children to and encouraging aggressive behavior also comes with its own set of concerns about potential harm."
"Why do you think there are much stricter rules and guidelines today when conducting research with children? What specific protections should be in place?"
Phase 4: Ethical Discussion and Wrap-up (5 Minutes)
Slide 8: Research Ethics Today
"These historical experiments, for all their controversy, were pivotal in shaping the ethical guidelines that govern psychological research today. We now have stringent rules around informed consent, ensuring participants fully understand the risks. Protection from harm is paramount, and researchers must prioritize the well-being of their subjects. Confidentiality and anonymity are standard, and thorough debriefing is required."
"Perhaps most importantly, we have Institutional Review Boards (IRBs), which are committees that review and approve all research involving human subjects to ensure it meets ethical standards."
"So, to conclude, what lasting lessons do you think we can draw from psychology's past mistakes, and how does understanding these controversies make you think differently about scientific research in general?"
"Thank you for an insightful discussion today. I hope this exploration of psychology's controversial history gives you a deeper appreciation for both the insights psychology offers and the critical importance of ethical practices in scientific discovery."
END OF SCRIPT // [C] PSYCHOLOGY DEPT ACADEMIC RESOURCES // 2026
