Editing John B. Watson (section)

===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.