Watson said, "Give me a dozen healthy infants, well-formed, and my own specified world to bring them up in, and I'll guarantee to take anyone at random and train him to become any type of specialist I might select: doctor, lawyer, artist, merchant-chief, and yes, even beggar-man and thief, regardless of his talents, penchants, tendencies, abilities, vocations, and race of his ancestors".
Do you agree with Watson's assertion that he could mold any individual into a productive member of society or a common criminal using the principles of learning theory?
To put the question another way, do you believe that our actions and behaviors are determined by outside environmental stimuli or do we exercise free will?
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I believe that the outside environment has a tremendous effect on shaping who one becomes. Without outside knowledge or help, no one would know their potential or ablities to do anything. To exercise free will, one must know that free will does indeed exist and they are capable of thinking for them selves. A great example would be the thrid world countries. The people have tremendous potential and can easily become rich if they were educated. Due to the malnutrition and poor or even no education recieved, they do not know what they can accomplish. The ones that get the opportunity to travel to a developed country, such as America, put great effort in getting an education and usually succeed. Maybe not becoming one of the richest people in the world, but successful in their situation. Changes can occur from the information and opportunities given to them in differnet environments.
I agree the the outside environment has a tremendous effect on shaping who one becomes. I believe as we learn, we learn through our environment. As the result, it helps us learn great deal about our behavior, the effect of our environment has on us and what motivates us to change or remain the same. Our environment influenced our thoughts and behavior thus; determining our role in our environment. One of the example that was brought up is education. Education is an important factor in determining our role in the society. However, one's position in the society is a major determiner of education. If you don't have money you can't get an education. And if you can't get education you can't succeed. Even in the U.S. if you don't have money you can't go to college unless you get scholarships (which not everybody can get). If people don't perceive realistic opportunities in their future, they are less likely to trust the reward system which is obtaining success at the end. Therefore, our environment determines of how one person becomes.
I agree with both Cheyanne and Kristine sbout education being a major environmental factor contributing to the delevopment of the individual. What possible solutions exist to combat poverty and allow all people to receive an education?
One major issue is money. People just cannot afford an education, food is needed above all. A possible solution can be public schools or volunteer teachers to at least teach the basics on farming and such. One of my high school teacher did this, and he was amazed that people in Africa grew corn that only grew yup to his chest. He taught them that corn needed minerals such as sulfur. When they did add it, the corn grew taller; thus the people produced more to feed them selves with. Maybe all it takes are volunteers and a good heart.
More high quality public schools is a great solution. However, instead of more volunteer teachers I would argue for more paid teachers and human rights workers. How would you suggest funding these solutions?
Poverty is a major breeding ground of many social problems such as family instability and school drop outs. I think the source of poverty is the maldistribution of income and wealth. It means that there is too much at the top and too little at the bottom due to a lack of jobs. The solution is that the government must provide enough opportunity for many to make a livable wage, especially for those in the lower class. If the government do not take part, it results in losing hope for a meaningful future. If people do not have a stable job, how are they going to provide necessities to get an education? We need money to go to school and we need money for people to not live in poverty and to get money we need education therefore; government must take the first action and the rest is up to the individual.
I think that the statement has some form of validity to it, but it cannot be assumed that 100% of the time his theory will work. Even tho it may have seemed like a perfect idea to shape a person into exactly what he chose for them to become, there is always free will. In history, even societies that were dominated by a king or tyrant of some sort, there were always those who went against the grain because they had the freedom to do so, although those actions had negative consequnces for them. There is always free will, it just comes down to how much a person chooses to express it.
J.T. thank you for bringing us back to the original question! For me, I am uncomfortable with the idea that I could be so easily molded. I think humans are more complex than the result of many stimuli and responses. In a way, Watson's comment is offensive in that he presumes to have a Godlike power, and who is he to know what the best outcome is for any particular individual? I am thankful that throughout history there have always been those capable of going "against the grain" as J.T. said. We must continue to use our free will to resist corrupt and violent governments.
Despite J.T.'s valid point, regarding free will, I must say that I completely agree with Watson. The reason is, Watson spoke about molding an infant, rather than just anyone. Infants are not really aware that they possess free will and furthermore, they depend upon their caretakers to show them what to do, when to do it, how to do it, etc. Therefore, shaping the infant into anything is quite possible. When I took Sociology last summer, I learned about how important a person's environment is in their early years. I also watched a video about children who were abandoned as young children. One girl was left to live in an alley way with stray dogs. When people finally found her, she acted just like a dog. So to prove Watson's point, it is in fact possible to mold a person into anything.
Jennifer, you make a very strong argument and in fact, it makes me wonder...when does behavior modification cross the line and become brainwashing? If behavior modification is so powerful, what would happen if it got into the hands of the wrong people? What if someone tried to mold you into someone that is not in your best interest? Would free will emerge and cause you to resist?
I think that the environment has a strong influence on a person, but it doesn't make you who you are. No one can control you. The most anyone can do is convince you. We humans only do what we want to do. No matter how much a parent wants you to do something, the child will always have the opportunity to not do it. We all think differently and have our own opinions so I would disagree with what Watson said.
O, GOD YES! I strongly believe that we are a reflection of our environment. Neither one of us would be who we are if our environments would’ve been shifted. Everyone would like to say that they exercise free will but in reality one can only take “free will” so far. Many successful people would not have been as successful as they are/were without having the environment they did going through life. Whether their surroundings were negative or a positive enforcement it is what made them who they are. No doubt about it.
I believe that there are many factors that cause us to act the way we do. Our parents raise us a certaint way, The schools we go to teach us lesson in life , and the friends we socialize have factors on us as well.though the experiment would be interesting it is very unethical. Forcing someone to be a certaint way issnt right. The test makes me wonder how he would go about forcing these people to become this way. Then I wonder maybe you wouldnt have to force them. maybe the way we act and the things we enjoy are purely influenced by our daily routines.
Maybe it is true that you can influent a child. I'd never fully know till I see it happen. Also maybe since everyone is different maybe some can get totally influenced and others won’t get influenced 100 percent. There are many other factors that we may not even realize. Some things are too advanced for humans to learn, at least at this point in time. If someone were to try and learn more about this aspect of psychology I think it would be unethical since it can change the child’s life permanently.
I read the topic question again and for some reason it makes a lot more sense than I remember (wish I had better memory). I guess I could agree with Watson at this point because infants are young and still developing many things. this kind of relates to adopted children. They learn a lot of things from their adoptive parents. The environment is very important. If it is even possible for a 100 percent guarantee of making a child become a doctor or any other job the person trying this would really know what they have to do when the child is very young. Honestly I don't believe there are guarantee's for almost anything.
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