What are John Watson's primary critiques of psychology (i.e., the study of consciousness via introspection)? How does he propose to solve these issues? Do you believe that introspection is important in changing behavior? Why or why not?
First, Watson believed that psychology used “esoteric methods,” and could not establish itself as a natural science (p. 163). Second, Watson noted that unlike the sciences, it is impossible to improve upon the methods used in an experiment in any meaningful way. “The attack is made upon the observer and not the upon the experimental setting,” (Watson, 1913, p. 163). Psychology depends too much on introspection, as Watson calls it. Consciousness is simply too nebulous to study using the scientific method. Watson does not claim consciousness is not a worthwhile subject, but that it is simply not a scientific subject.
To resolve the tension between psychology and the social sciences, and to infuse psychology with a semblance of credibility, Watson advises that psychologists stop studying consciousness altogether. Mental states and consciousness are too ephemeral, and the methods used to study them too speculative. Interestingly, Watson even finds a problem with the study of sensation and perception, which was being studied at the time by Titchner. Watson...
References
“Psyography: John Broadus Watson,” (n.d.). https://faculty.frostburg.edu/mbradley/psyography/johnbroaduswatson.html
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