Scientific Approach: theories need to be supported by empirical data obtained through careful and controlled observations and measurement of behaviour
Focus on Observable Data: Watson thought that instead psychologists should only study things that could be directly observed – behaviour and the environment conditions that produce it
Tabula Rasa: we enter the world a blank slate – all we have is the capacity to learn new things
Free Will: unlike humanistic psychologists, Watson did not believe in free will. He thought that all our behaviour was determined by our learning experiences and environment
Conditioning: Watson believed that the main process by which people learnt was conditioning
Animal Research: there is little difference between the learning that takes place in humans and that in other animals. Therefore research can be carried out on animals as well as humans
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
| Reliable, due to the insistence on objectivity, control over variables and precise measurements | Lab methods in artificial conditions lack ecological validity as they do not reflect real world contexts |
| Helped further our understanding of the free will and nature-nurture debate | Animals cannot learn which reflect their different evolutionary histories |
| Practical application – effective way of modifying behaviour amongst people who may be difficult to teach in other ways (e.g autistic children) | Conditioning ignores the influence of mental processes on learning |
| Overly reductionist and ignores biological influences |