Why was Watson’s use of verbal reports considered to be controversial?
Observation is an essential base for fellow methods. Detached methods of testing were in usage already, however, Watson expected that results of the test should be treated like samples from behavior instead of signals of qualities of mind.
For Watson, test could not examine personality or intelligence, rather, it examined the responses of the subject to the situation of stimulus of giving the test and nothing much following that.
Report which is verbal is further controversial. Since Watson, so openly disputed introspection, his usage of vocal reporting in lab ported him free to judgment. Few psychologists treated it a weak adjustment, arguing that he is letting introspection to sneak out of the back door followed by delivering it via the front.
Despite his allergy to introspection, he cannot ignore the psychophysicists’ which utilized introspection. Thus, he advised that speech responses, since they are detachedly observable, are as relevant for behaviorism like some other kind of response of motor.
“Doing what is said- which is, behaving”, Watson documented,” speaking honestly or to oneself (thinking) is only as detached a kind of behavior as a football.