Behavior : An Introduction to Comparative Psychology

by John B. Watson

Introduction. I. Stimulus to general activity: stimuli to locomotion. (a) General stimuli positively responded to. (6) General stimuli negatively responded to. II Methods of studying the receptors of animals: forcing the formation of sensory habits. Control box. Pawlow's method. Methods dependent upon instinctive response. Control and auxiliary methods. Criticisms of the methods for determining the sensitivity of receptors. III. Apparatus for obtaining specific stimuli: apparatus for obtaining monochromatic light. Use of apparatus. The selenium 'cell. Device for securing a purified spectrum. Apparatus for testing response to white light, form, and size. Apparatus for producing auditory stimulation: apparatus for obtaining constant air supply. The Helmholtz system of tandem-driven forks. Animal control box for work on audition. Yerkes' apparatus for testing hearing in frogs. Apparatus for obtaining olfactory and cutaneous stimuli. Yoakum's temperature apparatus. IV. Methods of studying motor habits: introduction. The problem box method. Description of boxes. Description of maze experiment. Apparatus for the study of the delayed reaction.

Genres: Psychology

460 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1914

About the author

John Broadus Watson (January 9, 1878 – September 25, 1958) was an American psychologist who established the psychological school of behaviorism. Watson promoted a change in psychology through his address, Psychology as the Behaviorist Views it, which was given at Columbia University in 1913. Through his behaviorist approach, Watson conducted research on animal behavior, child rearing, and advertising. In addition, he conducted the controversial "Little Albert" experiment.