Watson is often referred to as the founding father of behaviorism. Born in 1878 in Greenville, South Carolina, to Emma and Pickens Watson. Growing up with a very religious mother, he opposed religion. As a young adult, Watson was very troubled. He was arrested twice for fighting and disorderly conduct. Academically, he had very poor results. His mother had very important connections that allowed him to be accepted into Furman University in South Carolina. Watson received his bachelor's degree from the University of Chicago, in 1903, his doctorate, and later became an associate professor of psychology at John Hopkins University. He believed that psychology should be considered behavioral and that it should be subject to the prediction and control of such actions. Watson believed that the experimental study should be based on environmental and human behavior..