Final answer:
John B. Watson, a proponent of behaviorism, believed psychology should be centered on observable behavior rather than conscience or consciousness, as he considered inner experiences unmeasurable. His work, particularly the Little Albert experiment, demonstrated that emotions are conditioned responses, highlighting the significance of observable behavior in psychological study.
Step-by-step explanation:
Significance of Conscience According to Watson
John B. Watson, a founder of behaviorism, held a view of psychology that dismissed the importance of conscience or consciousness in understanding behavior. According to Watson, psychology's legitimacy rested on its ability to focus on outward, observable behavior that could be objectively measured. He was influenced by Pavlov's work on classical conditioning and applied similar principles to demonstrate that human behaviors, including emotions, could be conditioned responses much like those seen in animals. Watson's most notable contribution, the Little Albert experiment, exemplified this by conditioning a fear response in an infant. The Little Albert experiment showed that emotional reactions could be manipulated through the pairing of stimuli, laying groundwork for behaviorism's approach to psychology, which heavily emphasized externally observable and measurable behaviors over internal mental states or the conscience.