Bell ringerBell ringerDo you think that there is a Do you think that there is a difference between the way difference between the way humans and animals think?humans and animals think?

Why or why not?Why or why not?

Write a comment or question, Write a comment or question, or draw a picture, to or draw a picture, to

illustrate your response.illustrate your response.

John B. Watson John B. Watson (1878-1958)(1878-1958)

““Founder of Founder of Behaviorism”Behaviorism”

By Mary Beth Bracy & Courtney (Foley) By Mary Beth Bracy & Courtney (Foley) SaywardSayward

Image from Google Images

About John B. WatsonAbout John B. Watson• From poor family in From poor family in

South CarolinaSouth Carolina• Troubled youth, but Troubled youth, but

managed to go to managed to go to college (graduated college (graduated 1889).1889).

• Majored in psychology Majored in psychology and minored in and minored in philosophy, under John philosophy, under John Dewey (1901).Dewey (1901).

• (1903) Studied under (1903) Studied under German biologist German biologist Jacques Loeb, and Jacques Loeb, and became fascinated with became fascinated with animal studies.animal studies.

• (1907) Became associate (1907) Became associate professor at Johns professor at Johns Hopkins University.Hopkins University.

• Named editor of Named editor of renowned journal renowned journal Psychological Review.Psychological Review.

• Promulgated views on Promulgated views on animal-human psychology, animal-human psychology, which he also applied to which he also applied to mental illness research.mental illness research.

• (1914) Became president (1914) Became president of the American of the American Psychological Association.Psychological Association.

• (1916-) Worked in (1916-) Worked in advertising.advertising.

Publications Publications

• (1913) Published article “Psychology as the (1913) Published article “Psychology as the Behaviorist Views it.”Behaviorist Views it.”

• (1914) Published (1914) Published Behavior: An Introduction to Behavior: An Introduction to Comparative Psychology.Comparative Psychology.

• (1919) Wrote his most popular book: (1919) Wrote his most popular book: Psychology from the Standpoint of a Psychology from the Standpoint of a Behaviorist.Behaviorist.

• (1920)(1920) Published the “Little Albert” experiment.Published the “Little Albert” experiment.• (1924) Published (1924) Published Behaviorism.Behaviorism.• (1928)(1928) Published Published The Psychological Care of The Psychological Care of

Infant and Child.Infant and Child.

BehaviorismBehaviorism• ““Behaviorism assumes that behavior is Behaviorism assumes that behavior is

observable and can be correlated with observable and can be correlated with other observable events. Thus, there are other observable events. Thus, there are events that precede and follow behavior” events that precede and follow behavior” (Cooper, 2009).(Cooper, 2009).

• Psychology should be grounded in science Psychology should be grounded in science when examining the connection between when examining the connection between the environment and behavior.the environment and behavior.

• Ideas controlling human and other animal Ideas controlling human and other animal behavior are basically the same. behavior are basically the same.

More on BehaviorismMore on Behaviorism

Picture of a dog Pavlov used in experiments. A saliva catch container was surgically implanted in the dog’s muzzle. (Pavlov Museum. Ryazan, Russia). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:One_of_Pavlov%27s_dogs.jpg

• Influenced by Pavlov’s experiments (e.g., causing dogs to salivate at the sound of a noise).

• Watson experimented on animals and children. His most famous study was titled “Little Albert.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2Ns3WViaXw&feature=fvw

Behaviorist ConclusionsBehaviorist Conclusions

• Humans are conditioned. For Humans are conditioned. For instance, in the “Little Albert” instance, in the “Little Albert” experiment the toddler was experiment the toddler was conditioned to fear the rat by conditioned to fear the rat by adding the noise. Later, this was adding the noise. Later, this was also extended to other furry objects also extended to other furry objects (e.g., Santa beard and Watson’s (e.g., Santa beard and Watson’s hair).hair).

• Watson asserted that thinking is Watson asserted that thinking is not conscious behavior. It is merely not conscious behavior. It is merely talking to yourself.talking to yourself.

Positive Instructional Positive Instructional ImplicationsImplications

•If behavior is conditioned, there is If behavior is conditioned, there is amazing potential for teachers to amazing potential for teachers to positively influence their students positively influence their students by good example, quality lessons by good example, quality lessons and learning. and learning.

•Watson believed that practice Watson believed that practice strengthens learning. strengthens learning.

•His work was considered the His work was considered the beginning of the development of beginning of the development of learning science.learning science.

•

CriticismCriticism• Behaviorism has been criticized for Social-Behaviorism has been criticized for Social-

Darwinian implications (e.g., conditioning the Darwinian implications (e.g., conditioning the masses and survival of the fittest).masses and survival of the fittest).

• "Give me a dozen healthy infants, well-formed, "Give me a dozen healthy infants, well-formed, and my own specified world to bring them up and my own specified world to bring them up in and I'll guarantee to take any one at in and I'll guarantee to take any one at random and train him to become any type of random and train him to become any type of specialist I might select--doctor, lawyer, artist, specialist I might select--doctor, lawyer, artist, merchant-chief, and, yes, even beggarman and merchant-chief, and, yes, even beggarman and thief, regardless of his talents, penchants, thief, regardless of his talents, penchants, tendencies, abilities, vocations, and race of his tendencies, abilities, vocations, and race of his ancestors. I am going beyond my facts and I ancestors. I am going beyond my facts and I admit it, but so have the advocates of the admit it, but so have the advocates of the contrary and they have been doing it for many contrary and they have been doing it for many thousands of years."thousands of years." – –John B. Watson, John B. Watson, Behaviorism, Behaviorism, p. 104.p. 104.

ReferencesReferences• Cohen, D. (1979). Cohen, D. (1979). J. B. Watson: The Founder of BehaviourismJ. B. Watson: The Founder of Behaviourism..

London: Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd.

• Cooper, S. (2009). Cooper, S. (2009). John B. Watson (1878 to 1958) Behaviorism.John B. Watson (1878 to 1958) Behaviorism.Retrieved September 9, 2010, from Retrieved September 9, 2010, from

http://www.lifecircles-http://www.lifecircles-inc.com/Learningtheories/behaviorism/Watson.htmlinc.com/Learningtheories/behaviorism/Watson.html

• Green, C. D. (2009). Green, C. D. (2009). Classics in the history of Psychology: Classics in the history of Psychology: Introduction to Introduction to “Psychology as the Behaviorist Views It” “Psychology as the Behaviorist Views It” John B. Watson (1913)John B. Watson (1913)..

Retrieved September 9, 2010, from Retrieved September 9, 2010, from http://psychclassics.yorku.ca/Watson/intro.htmhttp://psychclassics.yorku.ca/Watson/intro.htm

• Mandler, G. (2002). Origins of the cognitive (r)evolution. Mandler, G. (2002). Origins of the cognitive (r)evolution. Journal Journal of History of of History of the Behavioral Sciences,the Behavioral Sciences, 3838(4), 339–353.(4), 339–353.

• Watson, J. B. (1957). Watson, J. B. (1957). Behaviorism Behaviorism (New ed.)(New ed.).. Chicago, IL: Chicago, IL: University of University of Chicago Press.Chicago Press.

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