John B. Watson's Psychodynamic Study

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Unlike Freuds psychodynamic approach, the behaviourist approach is much more scientific, it can be observed and scientifically measured. It is something that can be effected by stimuli. (Mcleod, 2007). John B. Watson is a behaviourist which “expressed his faith” in this approach and believed that if he was given 12 infants he would be able to turn them into anything he wanted (Eg: Doctors, thieves) simple by controlling their environment (Emslie et al., 1979, p.106-107). This is known as classical conditioning (Emslie et al., 1979). Watson then organised and experiment to prove this. He scientifically examined the reaction to an “Institutionalized infant” named Little Albert. In this experiment, Watson presented a white rat to the child, the