Editing John B. Watson (section)

== Biography ==

===Early life===
He was born on January 9, 1878.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite book|last1=Sheehy|first1=Noel|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QL7YE_58zjkC&q=%22Emma+Kesiah%22+watson&pg=PA244|title=Fifty Key Thinkers in Psychology|last2=Forsythe|first2=Alexandra|date=2004|publisher=Psychology Press|isbn=978-0-415-16775-8|page=244|language=en}}</ref> His father, Pickens Butler Watson, was an alcoholic and left the family to live with two Indian women when John was 13 years old—a transgression which he never forgave.<ref name="Hothersall">Hothersall, D. (2004). ''History of Psychology''. Boston: [[McGraw-Hill Education|McGraw Hill]]</ref> His mother, Emma Kesiah Watson ([[née]] Roe), was a very religious woman who adhered to prohibitions against drinking, smoking, and dancing,<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /> naming her son John after a prominent Baptist minister in hopes that it would help him receive the call to preach the Gospel. In bringing him up, she subjected Watson to harsh religious training that later led him to develop a lifelong antipathy toward all forms of religion and to become an [[atheist]].<ref group="lower-roman">[[Gregory Kimble|Kimble, Gregory A.]], [[Michael Wertheimer]], and Charlotte White. 2013.[https://books.google.com/books?id=Yb_eAQAAQBAJ&q=john+b+watson+atheist&pg=PA175 Portraits of Pioneers in Psychology]. Psychology Press.

"Watson's outspoken atheism repelled many in [[Greenville, South Carolina|Greensville]]." (p. 175).</ref><ref group="lower-roman">Martin, Michael. 2006. [https://books.google.com/books?id=tAeFipOVx4MC&q=Among+celebrity+atheists+with+much+biographical+data%2C+we+find+leading&pg=PA310 ''The Cambridge Companion to Atheism'']. Cambridge: [[Cambridge University Press]].

"Among celebrity atheists with much biographical data, we find leading psychologists and psychoanalysts. We could provide a long list, including…John B. Watson." (p. 310).</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite book|last=Buckley|first=Kerry W.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0XjIkQziFe8C&q=%22john+B.+watson%22+%22mary+watson%22&pg=PA185|title=Mechanical Man: John Broadus Watson and the Beginnings of Behaviorism|date=1989|publisher=Guilford Press|isbn=978-0-89862-744-2|location=New York}}</ref>

In an attempt to escape poverty, Watson's mother sold their farm and brought Watson to [[Greenville, South Carolina]],<ref name=":0" /> to provide him a better opportunity for success.<ref name=":3" /> Moving from an isolated, rural location to the large urbanity of Greenville proved to be important for Watson, providing him the opportunity to experience a variety of different types of people, which he used to cultivate his theories on psychology. However, the initial transition would be a struggle for Watson, due to his limited social skills.

=== Marriage and children ===
Watson married Mary Ickes, sister of politician [[Harold L. Ickes]], while he was in graduate school.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|last1=Reevy|first1=Gretchen|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tnPkFDU8orEC&q=%22john+watson%22+%22mary+ickes%22&pg=PA587|title=Encyclopedia of Emotion|last2=Ozer|first2=Yvette Malamud|last3=Ito|first3=Yuri|date=2010|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-0-313-34576-0|language=en}}</ref> They had two children, also named John and Mary Ickes Watson,<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Todd|first1=James Thomas|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ugd-AAAAMAAJ&q=%22john+ickes+watson%22|title=Modern Perspectives on John B. Watson and Classical Behaviorism|last2=Morris|first2=Edward K.|date=January 1, 1994|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|isbn=978-0-313-27307-0|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":3" /> the latter of whom attempted suicide later in life.<ref name=":4">Smirle, Corinne. 2013. "[http://www.feministvoices.com/rosalie-rayner/ Profile of Rosalie Rayner] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200329145751/http://www.feministvoices.com/rosalie-rayner/ |date=March 29, 2020 }}." ''[[Psychology's Feminist Voices]]'', edited by A. Rutherford. Retrieved May 16, 2020.</ref> Young Mary and her husband, Paul Hartley, had a daughter, [[Mariette Hartley]], an actor who suffered from psychological issues that she attributed to her being raised according to her grandfather's theories.<ref>[[Mariette Hartley|Hartley, Mariette]], and A. Commire. 1990. ''Breaking the Silence''. New York: [[G. P. Putnam's Sons]].</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-1990-11-18-9002260560-story.html|title=Picture Imperfect: Shunned by parents, battered by a husband, actress Mariette Hartley could have filled her scrapbook with pain and suffering |first=Monica |last=Strand |website=Sun-Sentinel.com|date=November 18, 1990 }}</ref>

Watson's wife later sought divorce due to his ongoing affair with a student, [[Rosalie Rayner]] (1898–1935).<ref name=":1" /> In searching Rayner's bedroom, Mary discovered love letters from Watson.<ref name="Hothersall" /> The affair became front-page news in Baltimore. The publicity resulted in [[Johns Hopkins University]] asking Watson to resign his faculty position in October 1920.<ref name="ReferenceA">''The Washington Times''. January 2, 1921.</ref>

In 1921, following the finalization of the divorce, Watson and Rayner married in [[New Jersey]],<ref name="ReferenceA" /> parenting two sons, William Rayner Watson (1921) and James Broadus Watson (1924), who were raised with the behaviorist principles that John espoused throughout his career. The couple remained together until Rayner's death at age 36 in 1935.<ref>Murray, D. J. (1988). ''A History of Western Psychology''. New Jersey: [[Prentice Hall]].</ref> Like their half-sister, both sons later attempted suicide,<ref name=":4" /> with William killing himself in 1954.<ref name=":0" />

=== Later life and death ===
Watson burned his letters and personal papers, thus depriving historians of a resource for understanding the early history of behaviorism and of Watson himself.<ref name=":5">Burnham, John C. 1994. "John B. Watson: Interviewee, Professional Figure, Symbol." ''Modern Perspectives on John B. Watson and Classical Behaviorism.'' [[Greenwood Publishing Group|Greenwood Press]].</ref>

Historian John Burnham interviewed Watson late in life, presenting him as a man of strong opinions and some bitterness towards his detractors.<ref name=":5" /> In 1957, shortly before his death, Watson received a Gold Medal from the [[American Psychological Association]] for his contributions to psychology.<ref name="Hergenhahn">Hergenhahn, B. R. (1992). ''An Introduction to the History of Psychology''. California: [[Wadsworth Publishing Company]].</ref>

Watson lived on his farm until his death in 1958 at age 80. He was buried at [[Willowbrook Cemetery]], [[Westport, Connecticut|Westport]], [[Connecticut]].<ref name="Marquis">{{cite web|title=Profile data: John Broadus Watson|url=http://search.marquiswhoswho.com/profile/200010782413|publisher=Marquis Who's Who|access-date=August 7, 2012}}</ref>