John B. Watson, Founder of Behaviorism

Learn about this famous psychologist and his theories

Kirby Randolph2005

Childhood

• Born January 9 1878 in Greenville, SC

• Was the fourth of six children

• Father left family• Arrested twice• Was aggressive and

violent until after his arrest

Education

• Introduced to psychology at Furman

• Went to Johns Hopkins• Taught at Chicago and

Johns Hopkins• Became associate

professor at Johns Hopkins

Working • Became president of

APA• Studied mental

illness• Published many

books• worked near animal

researchers• Editor of

Psychological Review

Books• In 1913 published

Behaviorism Manifesto• In 1914 published

Behavior: An Introduction to Comparative Psychology

• In 1919 published the most important book of his career, Psychology from the Standpoint of a Behaviorist

Books

• In 1924 he published Behaviorism

• Published The Psychological Care of Infant and Child in 1928

• In 1958 he burnt all his unpublished works

Behaviorism

• Study of human behavior• Observe then make predictions• Behaviorists manipulate people• Behaviorism is different than Christian beliefs• Emotions don’t affect behavior• They think everything we do is inevitable

• Behavior is relationships between stimuli and responses

Presuppositions of Behaviorism

• Man has no soul or mind

• Behavior is a product of conditioning

• We do not consciously act

• We are not responsible for our actions

• Learning is getting new behavior

Tests• Testing methods

unethical• Put dogs in puzzle

boxes• Little Albert was most

famous test• Made Albert afraid of

rats• Didn’t like using

humans in tests• Started testing with rats

About Me

• My name is Kirby favorite bands are My Chemical Romance, AFI, Fall Out Boy, blink-182, Rancid, Taking Back Sunday, Slipknot, Motley Crue, Alkaline Trio, The Clash, NoFX, Dropkick Murphys, Foo Fighters, Senses Fail and more. I am 13 and I like football and rugby

Bibliography• Johnston, Joni (2000). The Complete Idiots Guide to

Psychology. Indianapolis: Alpha Books• The Story of John Watson, Founder of Behaviorism.

a-s.Clayton.edu/mccarty/PSYC3540/web%20Links/watson.html

• JohnBroadusWatson.psy.rin.ru/eng/article/171-101.html

• Green,Christopher.Introduction to “Psychology as the Behaviorist Views it.”psyclassics.yorku.ca/watson/intro.htm

• vygotsky.sfasu.edu/courses/psy503/Watson.html• DeMar, Gary. Behaviorism.

Forerunner.com.com/forerunner/XO497_DeMar_-_Behaviorism.html, 1988

Bibliography

• Phillips, D. C. and Soltis, Jones. Behaviorism. Funderstanding.com/behaviorism.cfm.1998-2005

• Kentridge, R. Operant Conditioning and Behaviorism- and historic outline. Biozentrum.uni-wuerzburg.de/genetics/behavior/learning/behaviorism.html