What was Watson’s final position on the role of instinct in human behavior?
Watson firmly believed in the theory of behaviorism. Also, he interpreted certain things in terms of this theory just as he explained language and thinking as a type of behavior. Similarly, he explained instinct and its role in determining one’s behavior.
It is said that his attitude changed drastically towards instincts, during his research days. Instincts played an important role in his theory, during 1914. By the end of 1919, he had already given his stance over this by saying that instincts are present in infants, which are later replaced or displaced by learned habits.
Then, by 1925, he completely rejected idea of instincts in humans, saying that no such instincts, which he called innate behavior patterns, are present in humans. Instead, some reflex movements like sneezing, crying, eliminating, crawling, sucking and breathing, are present.
Watson was not in favor of the concept of instinct. He, in fact, said that what human call as instinct is actually learned behavior. This was his stance towards instinct.