John Broadus Watson The Mechanical Man By Jesikah

John Broadus Watson (The Mechanical Man) By: Jesikah Becker

The “Watson” Family History • Watsons’ grandfather was a prosperous landowner with a good reputation • Left his farmland to his children • Pickens (Watson’s Father) • Decided to run away and join Confederate Army at age 16 • After the war he developed an explosive temper and a taste for alcohol • Pickens was tested his families patience because he was ruining their reputation • Pickens married Emma Roe • After the wedding, he was banished from the family circle

John B. Watson’s Youth • Born in rural South Carolina on January 9 th, 1878 • Was the 4 th of 6 children • The Watson family became more isolated • Pickens couldn’t find his calling • He became a rover and a wanderer • Pickens left the family when Watson was 13 years old • Impacted Watson, after he left, he rarely spoke of his father

John B. Watson’s Youth • Watson’s mother Emma Roe was a devout Baptist • She took special interest in Watson • She believed he had a special destiny • Named after J Albert Broadus, a Baptist minister • Hoped his name would give him a legacy and be a reminder of her hope for him • This did not mean that she was warm to him, she was rather cold as well

John B. Watson’s Youth • Despite poverty, Emma wanted a better life for her children • Watson was enrolled in a school by age 6 • In 1980, Emma sold the family farm and moved the family to Greenville • Greenville gave Watson insight of the world he had yet to experience, and how he would need to adjust to succeed

Watson’s Social Experience During Youth • He had very few fond memories in Greenville • He was often the target of classroom jokes • He got the name “Swats” • To avoid issues during school, he released his anger towards African American youth, which at the time, could not effectively fight back • He coined this as “N*gger Fighting” and was “his favorite going home activity”

Furman University • • Accepted in 1894, at age 16, Watson described himself as an antisocial person with few friends Professors described him as self-absorbed He did well in Psychology classes • Specifically those taught by Gordon B. Moore • Gordon resigned because the local Baptist community were alarmed by his unorthodox opinion of biblical miracles • Watson ended up failing Moore’s class under questionable pretenses • Watson later credited Moore for his interest in Psychology and the reason he continued schooling

After Furman University • After graduation, he became a principal at Batesburg Institute • During this time Emma passed after months of suffering • • • This drove him out of South Carolina Began applying to graduate schools 3 weeks after He was accepted to the University of Chicago He majored in Experimental Psychology • Influenced by Rowland Angell – took personal interest in Watson He was sparked by Animal/Comparative Psychology

University of Chicago • Watson did his dissertation under Angell • His study was the first systematic study of rat behavior • Looked at relation between behavior in the rat and the growth of its nervous system • He concluded that there was no necessary correlation between medullation and psychical maturity • He graduated in 1903 and was later hired at the university

Teaching at University of Chicago • • • Watson fell in love with Vida Sutton – was rejected He later married 19 year old Mary Ickes secretly in 1903 Teacher student relationship Later Vida returns…and returns again… Harold Ickes, Mary’s brother, did not trust Watson • Made attempts to split them up • Angell intervened and “saved” their marriage

John Hopkins University • In 1908, accepted a full time position as a Professor • He was excited to work without supervision and develop research he was interested in • Watson believed that the ultimate goal of psychology should be to predict and control behavior • In 1916 he began some brief experiments with infants • While at John Hopkins, he was asked to work in WWI until he was discharged in 1918

Little Albert Study John Hopkins University https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=GNr. Qwzali. KY • In 1920, he attempted an experiment with Rosalie Rayner, his graduate assistant. • He believed that the 3 basic emotions could be artificially induced • Fear, rage, and love • Creating the fear response by making a loud sudden noise and simultaneously presenting infant with animals that had not previously elicited a negative reaction - He also hoped to condition the subject to fear the animals after the original stimulus was removed • He believed his results demonstrated that emotional reactions could be conditioned to respond to stimuli randomly chosen by psychologist • Watson however never reconditioned little Albert and he developed a phobia of fur coats

MORE AFFAIRS • Mary and Watson’s marriage had been unsatisfying for a while • Polly warned mother • She found love letters from Rosalie hidden by Watson • Rosalie Rayner his graduate assistant came from a prominent family • Before the split, the Watsons spent a lot of time at Rosalie’s house • One night she ventured into Rosalie’s room and found love letters from Watson • Ultimately, they divorced – and Mary got the plus side of the separation agreement

Marriage • Once the full detail of the affair were released, he was asked to resign • He decided to move to NYC to find a different teaching position • By November of 1920 his divorce suit went public after trial • Ran front page in all the leading dailies of the nation • After his divorce, December 24 th • He married Rosalie a few days later on December 31 st

So being that Rosalie was Watson’s student… The affair was deemed even MORE taboo Do you think that since the affair resulted in a happy marriage that lasted the rest of their life, it should have been less taboo?

J Walter Thompson Advertising Company • He accepted and executive position • Watson emphasized the promotion of style rather than substance • Meaning that you're selling more than a product, you're selling an idea and prestige • He used testimonials and indirect testimonials to sell products • He also focused on his audiences demographics

The techniques Watson used in advertising are still used today. Can anyone think of some current examples?

New School of Social Research • Published Psychological Care of Infant and Child • Dedicated to “ the first mother who brings up a happy child” • His most notorious advice to parents was: • "Never hug and kiss them, never let them sit on your lap. If you must, kiss them once on the forehead when they say good night. Shake hands with them in the morning. Give them a pat on the head if they have made an extraordinary job of a difficult task. "

When Born Our Mind Is A Blank Slate • “Give me a dozen healthy infants, well-formed, and my own specified world to bring them up in and I'll 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. I am going beyond my facts and I admit it, but so have the advocates of the contrary and they have been doing it for many thousands of years. ”

Watson’s Utopia • • • He had a long dream of an experimental “baby farm” with hundreds of infants • He believed the world would be better off if it ceased to have children for 20 years (except for experimental research) so foolproof child rearing could be devised • Women should be taught “domestic science” which covered everything from interior design, to the art of interesting and handling men, and the technique of sex • They would learn about the care and handling of children but also study the use of cosmetics, how to stay thin, and how to be successful hosts • • Large women and the occasional ill-favored women weren’t allowed to breed In an ideal world, child rearing would be brought under laboratory control Mothers would not know child identity, no breast feeding, children would be rotated among families over four week intervals until they were 20 years of age He believed there should be no mercy • If conditioning failed to cure what Watson termed as the hopelessly insane or incurably diseased, we shouldn't hesitate to put them to death

What are your thoughts about his Utopia?

Final Years • • Rosalie died in 1935 from Pneumonia – Watson never spoke of this Watson was devastated and began drinking heavily He left J Walter Thompson shortly after In 1957, the APA planned to honor his work in New York • After almost 30 years of exile, the APA decided he had shaped the revolution in psychological thought

Final Days • Watson died peacefully of the cirrhosis of the liver in 1958 at 80 years old • Before he died he burned all his notes and manuscripts • His secretary told him not to, saying that it would be a loss to prosperity and history • Watson said “When you're dead, you're all dead”

His Children • With Mary Ickes • Mary (Polly) Watson born 1905 • John Watson born 1908 • With Rosalie • Billy born 1921 • Jimmy born 1923

Polly and John • Polly made multiple suicide attempts later in life • Her husband successfully committed suicide • John was plagued by stomach trouble and intolerable headaches throughout his life. • He died in his early 50 s from bleeding ulcers.

Billy and Jimmy • Billy became a respected, successful Freudian psychiatrist which was a slap in the face to Watson. • His first suicide attempt was stopped by Jimmy. • Second attempt, was successful. • 4 years before Watsons death • Jimmy suffered chronic stomach problems for years, but managed to do well in life.

Testimonials From Their Childhood • Recalled father darting from the room when conversations got too deep • • • Growing up was like a business proposition No emotional interchange Raised to have meticulous body habits and to be punctual Only time they saw their father cry was after Rosalie’s death He often experimented on his children