Question

John B. Watson is a ............

• A. Structuralist
• B. Functionalist
• C. Behaviorist
• D. Psychoanalyst

Hint:

Associate key figures with their schools of thought: Wundt/Titchener \(\rightarrow\) Structuralism; William James \(\rightarrow\) Functionalism; Freud \(\rightarrow\) Psychoanalysis; {Watson}/Skinner \(\rightarrow\) Behaviorism.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The question asks to identify the school of thought in psychology to which John B. Watson belongs.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
John B. Watson is widely regarded as the founder of behaviorism. In his influential 1913 paper, "Psychology as the Behaviorist Views It," he argued that psychology should be a purely objective experimental branch of natural science. He rejected the study of consciousness and introspection (methods used by structuralists) and proposed that the focus of psychology should be solely on observable behavior.
Structuralism (Titchener) focused on the basic elements of consciousness.
Functionalism (William James) focused on the purpose of consciousness and behavior.
Psychoanalysis (Freud) focused on the unconscious mind.
Watson's work, including the famous "Little Albert" experiment, established behaviorism as a major force in psychology.
Step 3: Final Answer:
John B. Watson is a behaviorist.