Final answer:
The Little Albert experiments illustrated that conditioning of emotions in humans, such as fear, could be achieved through classical conditioning. The response to a naturally frightening loud noise (UCS) was transferred to a white rat (CS), which then elicited fear (CR) without the noise.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Little Albert studies conducted by John B. Watson and his graduate student Rosalie Rayner are a classic example in psychology that demonstrated the conditioning of emotions in humans through the use of classical conditioning. The Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS) was the loud noise, the Conditioned Stimulus (CS) was the white rat, the Unconditioned Response (UCR) was fear caused by the loud noise, and the Conditioned Response (CR) was fear of the white rat alone. After several pairings of the UCS and CS, Little Albert eventually began to show fear of the white rat without the presence of the loud noise, illustrating how emotional responses can be learned. Furthermore, Little Albert exhibited stimulus generalization, where his conditioned fear transferred to other furry objects such as a rabbit, a furry coat, and a Santa Claus mask.