Science & Advertising: John B. Watson's Influence

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2014 Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications, Advertising Division, Montréal, Canada Abstract: Behaviorism as defined in 1913 by John B. Watson was a science that used repeated, observable human activity to develop hypotheses that would eventually predict and control responses. Through repeated experiments, Watson developed a thorough knowledge of what he defined as base human reactions. Stanley Resor, then president of J. Walter Thompson Agency, hired Watson to promote a partnership between advertising and science, and the subsequent 15 years of Watson’s career included some notable scientific contributions. This historical study shows that these outcomes set into motion industry-wide change that continued to develop until the present. The study also argues that though behavioristic principles may not have found solid footing in a mass media environment, the current networked communication state provides much more fertile ground for analyzing message receivers and eliciting desired responses.

Transcript of Science & Advertising: John B. Watson's Influence

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Abby Bartholomew, M.A. �Frauke Hachtmann, Ph.D.�University of Nebraska-Lincoln�

BEHAVIORISM �

“A science that uses repeated, observable human actvity to develop hypotheses that will eventually

predict and control responses.” �(John B. Watson) �

2014 AEJMC Annual Convention | Montreal, Canada�

PURPOSE �

1.  To explore how a scientist started to apply his theories of behaviorism to a growing consumer-driven environment in the early twentieth century.�

2.  To compare how the concepts of behaviorism are applied to advertising practice today. �

2014 AEJMC Annual Convention | Montreal, Canada�

SOURCE �

J. Walter Thompson Company Archives �John Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising, and Marketing History�Special Collections Library�Duke University�

2014 AEJMC Annual Convention | Montreal, Canada�

THE DEVELOPMENT OF BEHAVIORISM �

•  observable activity as predictor of actions�•  experiments on infants: Baby Albert �•  conditioning and unconditioning �•  pragmatic/applied behaviorism�

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J. WALTER THOMPSON �

2014 AEJMC Annual Convention | Montreal, Canada�

•  Stanley B. Resor, president, believed that human nature is largely predictable�

•  Accountability to clients�•  Integration of research into advertising best

practices�

�“I began to learn that it can be just as thrilling to watch the growth of a sales curve […] as to watch the learning curve of animals and men.” (John B. Watson) �

J. WALTER THOMPSON �

2014 AEJMC Annual Convention | Montreal, Canada�

•  Branded radio broadcasts: toothpaste�•  Power of brand loyalty: cigarettes�•  Brand impage/personality: coffee�•  Fear appeal: toilet paper �

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THEN AND NOW �

2014 AEJMC Annual Convention | Montreal, Canada�

•  Branding�•  Human resources�•  Public relations�•  Networked communications�•  Measurement and analytics�

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