Final answer:
The experiments of Pavlov and Watson/Rayner focused on classical conditioning and were instrumental in establishing behaviorism, demonstrating how stimuli can evoke responses following conditioning in both animals and humans.
Step-by-step explanation:
The experiments of Pavlov and Watson/Rayner centered on classical conditioning, a cornerstone of behaviorism. Ivan Pavlov, a physiologist, originally aimed to study the digestive system of dogs but accidentally discovered that dogs could be conditioned to associate a neutral stimulus, like the sound of a bell, with a reflexive response, such as salivation upon the presence of food. This revelation put forth the concept of classical conditioning, wherein organisms learn to associate stimuli and prompt a conditioned response.
Following Pavlov's footsteps, American psychologist John B. Watson, alongside Rosalie Rayner, demonstrated the extension of classical conditioning to human emotions through their famed experiment with Little Albert. Through this study, Watson highlighted how behavior could be learned through associations and that behavior should be the primary focus of psychology, as it is observable and measurable. Their contributions solidified the shift in psychological research from internal mental processes to observable behaviors, defining the field of behaviorism.
In conclusion, Pavlov's and Watson/Rayner's experiments are central to understanding how certain stimuli can come to evoke conditioned responses and are key in the study of learning behavior across species, including both reflexive and emotional responses.