The Science behind the Research
The 'Little Albert' Experiment - Fear conditioning and anxiety disorders
John Broadus Watson (1878-1958)
John Broadus Watson was an American Psychologist who established the Psychological School of Behaviourism. Watson believed that he could take twelve healthy infants and by applying behavioural changes, could 'design' people to be how he wanted them to be.
Watson stated that emotions such as fear could be conditioned using behavioural techniques. He took a small child (11 months) called 'Little Albert' and conditioned him to become fearful of random objects: a rabbit, a dog and (believe it or not) some wool! Watson presented these objects and at the same time, made a loud noise.
The experiment worked and Little Albert became conditioned to respond with fear when presented with the objects alone. He had conditioned anxiety and this sent shockwaves through the psychological community that had, until then, believed that fear, was pre-programmed in the subconscious (Sigmund Freud).
As unethical as this experiment was, it proved that fear responses could be raised by fear conditioning and that anxiety disorders can be created and eliminated given the correct treatment.
Burrhus Frederic "B. F." Skinner (1904 -1990)
Burrhus Frederic Skinner was an American psychologist who pioneered research and advocated behaviourism which concentrates on understanding how behaviour is the manifestation of environmental history with regard to the experience of consequences.
Skinner also proposed the use of behaviour modification, much like Watson, he believed that a person could have their experience of life modified by behaviours. Skinner developed the theories behind operant conditioning as a way of engineering society, happiness and people's experiences of their lives.
Skinner believed that any experience backed up by a consequence would become imprinted on a person's psyche; the experience of anxiety disorder sufferers would back this up; repeated stimulation of the Amygdala through anxious behaviour would reinforce and imprint those behaviours as a form of 'habit' into the subconscious mind.
Conversely, by using behaviour modification as discovered and pioneered by Watson and Skinner, the reversal of the formation of 'anxious habit' is also possible.
Charles Linden (1968 - present)
Charles Linden is a pioneer of behaviourism in the elimination of anxiety disorders. Linden's theories surrounding behaviour modification to affect the inappropriate reaction in the amygdala have been used with great success in conditions such as Panic Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Phobias and Generalized Anxiety Disorder.
Combining a targeted programme of behavioural changes and constant support and reassurance, Linden's Method undermines the subconscious anxious reaction in the amygdala, eliminating the core of the reaction within the amygdala, which causes and perpetuates the anxiety.
In line with the theories of Skinner and Watson, Linden's Methods prove that behaviour modification is the cause and solution to many of today's anxiety conditions and also plays an important role in some depressive conditions.