Third Class Paper for Life & Work 09-10: Watson, the Gilbreths (mainly Lillian), and Skinner

Compose a 6-8 page comparative paper that considers the life and work of John B. Watson, Lillian Gilbreth, and Burrhus Frederick Skinner. Choose one of the following topics:

1. Describe the relationships of our protagonists to feminism and the extent to which Watson, the Gilbreths, and Skinner advanced or hindered feminist goals.

2. Discuss the similarities and differences between the behaviorisms of Watson, Gilbreth, and Skinner.

3. What are Skinner's best and most applicable ideas in Walden Two? Would any aspects of his utopia resonate with Lillian Gilbreth? What about Watson: would he approve of any of Skinner's imaginings?

4. To what extent did Watson, Lillian Gilbreth, and Skinner live their psychological theories?

5. In what ways were Watson's, Gilbreth's, and Skinner's psychologies responses to their social and cultural contexts? Here I am thinking specifically of the impact of science and technology on society.

6. Watson, Gilbreth, and Skinner all wrote autobiographies. Analyze the form, style, substance, and purposes of their autobiographical writings. (While we did not read Gilbreth's autobiography Lancaster does quote from it extensively, so you should have enough material to address this question. You can also consider Walden Two as a piece of autobiographical writing.)

7. Devise your own question.

Due on Friday, March 12th via email. Attach either a .doc or a .txt file to the email (please not .docx - I can't open them).

Use APA style citation for your bibiliography. The library has a selected a good site that describes APA reference style.