John Watson in AP Psychology

Definition

John Watson was an American psychologist who is often referred to as the father of behaviorism, a school of thought in psychology that emphasizes the importance of observable behaviors over internal mental processes.

Related terms

Behaviorism:

A theory in psychology that suggests all behaviors are learned through interaction with the environment.

Classical Conditioning:

A learning process where two stimuli are repeatedly paired; a response that is at first elicited by the second stimulus is eventually elicited by the first stimulus alone.

Operant Conditioning:

A type of learning where behavior is controlled by consequences. Key concepts in operant conditioning are positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, positive punishment and negative punishment.