What goes on in the mind of our dog as he bays at the figure of the man in the moon, or growls at the shadow of some cat which lives in the neighboring yard?
Most pet owners have wonder what goes through their pets minds as they do things either by instinct or by nature. Watson (1907) is trying to decodify this thoughts by starting to study animals more in depth and dives in the pursue of answers about these very same questions.
If we think carefully of the may find out what our human companions are thinking, we can not fail to be struck by the fact that our only method for obtaining such information is to be had by observing their conduct.
Watson (1907) is pointing out one of the greatest ways to learn about human/animal behavior. This is done through observation. In 1907 this may not be as clear and simple due to the fact that psychology was not something relevant during those times.
If the material contributed by the present-day student of animal behavior is not so thrillingly interesting as that of the Thompson-Setons, nor so supra-human in its implications as that of his anecdotal friends, he must comfort himself with the thought that in offering it unadorned as he does, he is adding another stone to the ever-growing structure of modern science.
This experiment as simple as it may seem, is very important to the history o psychology as it shows one of the first conclusions on behaviorism on the psychology of animals. These experiment could have lead to many other experiments on behavior for the following generations and help the overall findings on modern psychology as well.
After a time, he happens to stick his nose down on the bottom edge of the door, possibly to investigate a new smell or to bite his toe. He raises his head suddenly -- and by reason of the physically inevitable fact that by raising his snout he strikes the underneath edge of the latch with sufficient force to raise it from its socket, the door will fly open. The problem is thus solved!
Perfect example of how the "Trial and error" process works. The rat work around every corner and side of the box to find a way in, after finding the latch the rat tries everything in its power to make entry until it finds it.
Food, however, is the one which has been most widely used up to the present time.
Using food to experiment with human beings and animals is one of the best stimulators due to it being a basic necessity for both. Eating after being hungry could be one of the best examples to see how human/animal behavior is impacted while positioned on an uncomfortable situation.
If an animal is stuffed one day and [p. 423] starved the next, his behavior will show it; if he is freezing at one time and suffering with heat at another, his reactions will alter accordingly.
Watson (1907) makes a perfect comparison on how animals and humans react when faced with different circumstances. As humans, our behavior/mood tend to change when we are hungry, cold, or when we find ourselves in an uncomfortable situation and this is the reality for animals as well.