MCAT Basics (from MedSchoolCoach) Classic Psychology Experiments
Aug 5, 2025
Explore the fascinating world of classic psychology experiments! Discover how Pavlov's dogs taught us about classical conditioning. Harlow's monkeys reveal the importance of comfort in attachment. Watch children mimic aggressive behavior in Bandura's Bobo doll experiment. Find out how compliance played a role in Milgram's shocking obedience study. Dive into Sherif's Robbers Cave, exposing competition's effects on group conflict. Finally, learn about the bystander effect through the Kitty Genovese case and the insightful story of Phineas Gage's brain injury.
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Mechanics Of Classical Conditioning
- Pavlov showed that pairing a neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus creates a conditioned response.
- This explains how everyday cues (ads, sounds) can trigger learned automatic reactions.
Harlow’s Surrogate Mother Findings
- Harlow separated infant rhesus macaques and gave them cloth and wire surrogate mothers.
- The infants clung to the cloth mother despite the wire mother providing food, showing emotional comfort matters.
Observational Learning Drives Behavior
- Bandura's Bobo doll study showed children imitate observed aggressive models.
- Observational learning explains how children acquire social behaviors from adults.