John B. Watson Free Essay Example, 1000 words

John Broadus Watson Psychology is defined as the branch of science that studies the human mind and behaviour in depth. The main theoretical goal of this branch is to understand the prediction and control of behaviour in any individual. Understanding a person is directly proportional to understanding their behaviour. John Broadus Watson was an American psychologist who holds a high rank in understanding human behaviour and psychology. John Watson said, "Give me a dozen healthy infants, well-formed, and my own specified world to bring them up in and Ill guarantee to take any one at random and train him to become any type of specialist I might select doctor, lawyer, artist, merchant-chief and, yes, even beggar-man and thief, regardless of his talents, penchants, tendencies, abilities, vocations, and race of his ancestors. " This quotation of the psychologist meant that behaviour is based and interlinked to the fact that behaviour is based upon conditioning of the human to any given stim uli (Cherry). John B. Watson was born on January 9, 1878 in Greenville, South Carolina. His parents were Emma and Pickens Watson. His mother was a religious woman and had set rules of living according to her religious beliefs. We will write a custom essay sample on John B. Watson or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now John’s father on the other hand was a non-religious man who had no respect towards his wife and marriage. John’s father walked out on him and his mother when he was young. This had a negative effect on John’s behaviour because he was attached to his father. After this event John’s life changed completely. His behaviour had negative changes and he began to disobey his mother and teachers. John’s adolescence was filled with event of arrests and fights. John got accepted at Furman University where he found an angel in the form of his teacher Gordon Moore. Gordon helped John get out of his rebellious phase. With Moores assistance, John was able to succeed and came back to living normally. John graduated from Furman University in 1899. John moved to the University of Chicago from where he majored in psychology and minored in philosophy and neurology. At the University of Chicago he met his future wife Mary Ikes. Togethe r they had two children, Mary and John. Like his father John was also unfaithful to his wife which finally resulted in a divorce. Later, John ended up marrying a Rosalie Rayner who was a student. John and Rosalie had two sons James and William. John was never able to build a bond with his sons. After a few years of the marriage Rosalie died which further deteriorated his relation with his sons.