Chapter 10- Watson's Behaviorism

John Watson Dissertation(Early Ideas)

• in the middle of closing biology and psychology

• Angell and Donelson were his advisors

• “mad killer of baby rats”

In 1901, Watson investigated the increasing complexity of behavior in the growing rat and its nervous system.  

One side he had rats that were raised in a complex environment, and some raised in a simple environment. After the rats became 6 months of age he sacrificed them and studied their brains and nervous system. The ones raised in the complex environment had a more developed nervous system. He was so confident of his work, he asked Donelson for money to published dissertation. 

Watson’s disseration was Published through the University of Chicago’s Press 

This was well read and was ground breaking research. The press called him the mad killer of baby rats. Angell offered him a teaching position at the university of Chicago, and therefore became a Psychologist.

Watson’s teaching position with Angell, chosing Psychology of Biology

He quickly got away from introspection, and said that psychology should concern itself with behavior not the mind(introspection).

Watson went to the university of Chicago to study what?

animal behavior. At first mentor disagreed with Watson studying animals. Stating that “human beings are more than animals, they are thinking beings.”

Watson’s marriage and research 

 1903- Married Mary Ickes who came from a prominent family(wealthy). Had two children who were “relatively healthy.”They would often travel to key west to study seagulls. In his lab at the unveristy of Chicago he studied many animals(look at notes) to come up with his ideas.

 1907-1913- published research on behavior of seagulls(keywest)

• Also studied monkey’s, chickens, dogs, cats, frogs, and fish

Mark Baldwin

Titchener (remember him) got in an argument with Baldwin about sensory and motor reaction times.

Mark Baldwin was a department chair at John’s Hopkins. The journal psychological review was housed at John’s Hopkins and was the editor in chief. Baldwin ran for political office. He was arrested and his picture was in the paper cause he cheat on his wife(or had an affair with a lady without being married). John’s Hopkins was humiliated and Baldwin was fired.

What did Watson Work on while at John Hopkins Hospital(replacement for Mark Baldwin)

• defines behaviorism

• what’s psychology aim?

• Units of behavior

What was the first thing that Baldwin did upon getting hired at Johns Hopkins

He Published Psychology as Behavior sees it(the Behaviorist Manifesto). This article was very clearly written. This article was a challenge to psychology and a detailed outlines what he believed that psychology should be. It included a detailed definition of behaviorism and psychology.

watson’s definition of behaviorism & psychology

Psychology is the study of human and animal conduct(or behavior). This article was impactful on our definition of psychology today.

psychology’s aim, according the Baldwin 

the goals should be to predict behavior, formulate laws about behavior, and control behavior. Now we add description of behavior (in the modern era) and he outlines the goals we use today.

What did Baldwin state about our conciouness? 

He argued that our consciousness is not a legitimate subject for scientific study, we can’t know what someone else is thinking. The only thing that is scientifically defensible to study is overt behavior(we can touch, taste and measure). He argued that thinking is verbal behavior and we could measure movement of the vocal chord and tongue.

Watson states that our units of behavior are reflexes 

Reflexes are SR connections( the connection between the stimulus and response. This is the simplest unit of behavior that can be inborned or conditions(trained). Further reflexed can be classified as habits, emotions, instincts and habit. All three of those are patterns of reflex arcs. Then this fundamental unit(one SR connection) are combined with more SR connects form complex behavior.

instincts

Instincts involved the strikes and emotions are internal activities

emotions 

evolve the unstruck muscles.

habits

learned modes of response (S-R stimulus response). These can be tested through operant and classical conditioning

Habits are learned modes of response(doing something more than once), ingrained. Instincts are inherited.

• thought this could explain all human behavior

Behaviorism in action

After this article, Watson did research with a number of colleagues (Knight Dunlap, Yerkes, and Carl Lashley, hosted Pavlov for a series of talks) and debates. When traveling, he was doing advertising fot Behaviorism. He made the theory dominate. Also once he published article(1913) it took the next 10 years for Behaviorism become established.

reactions to behaviorism

• mentioned in a summary 1914

• Mary Calkins rebuttals

• mentioned in the experimentalist meetings(argued that it was wrong)

Mary Calkins rebuttals to behavioralism 

• Mary Calkins, female psychologist who did not receive her degree. Published an article “Psychology and the behaviorist” which stated that certain problems need to be studied by introspection. But also agreed that psychology should be more practical With the article she encouraged people to read her theory(self care), which lead to feminism. She said that Watson went to far.

consequences to behaviorism

Watson and Angell coined behaviorism. He researched behaviorisms for many years. His wife was from a powerful family. Watson had an affair with research assistant, Roselia Rainer and wrote her love letters. The Furman professor read Watson letters in a Sepa meeting. Mary Ickes brother had the letters Baltimore Sun Published. Fired from Johns Hopkins and the field of psychology completely. He later married Roselie, took his principles to psychology and later became a wealthy man. Behaviorism did not die, all because he left the field. The people that he worked with, and his students kept it going.