Mary Cover Jones
Encyclopedia
Mary Cover Jones was born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania
. Within psychology, a scientific field dominated throughout much of the 20th century by male scientists, Mary Cover Jones stands out as a pioneer of behavior therapy—Joseph Wolpe
dubbed her "the mother of behavior therapy". Mary Cover Jones studied psychology at Vassar College
, from which she graduated in 1919, after which she went on to work with noted behaviorist John B. Watson
during the 1920s.
Her study of unconditioning a fear of rabbits, which she conducted at the Institute of Educational Research, Columbia University
Teachers’ College on a three-year-old named Peter, is her most often cited work. Jones treated Peter’s fear of a white rabbit by “direct conditioning
,” in which a pleasant stimulus (food) was associated with the rabbit. As the rabbit was gradually brought closer to him in the presence of his favorite food, Peter grew more tolerant, and was able to touch it without fear.
In the late 1920s Jones assumed a position as research associate at the Institute for Child Welfare at the University of California, Berkeley
where she became involved in the longitudinal Oakland Growth Study (OGS). In 1952, Jones was appointed Assistant Professor of Education at Berkeley and in 1959, one year before her retirement, she became full professor. In 1968, Jones received the prestigious G. Stanley Hall
Award from the American Psychological Association
(APA).
Mary Cover Jones died in Santa Barbara, California
on July 22, 1987.
Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Johnstown is a city in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States, west-southwest of Altoona, Pennsylvania and east of Pittsburgh. The population was 20,978 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Cambria County...
. Within psychology, a scientific field dominated throughout much of the 20th century by male scientists, Mary Cover Jones stands out as a pioneer of behavior therapy—Joseph Wolpe
Joseph Wolpe
Joseph Wolpe was born on April 20, 1915, in Johannesburg, South Africa, and died on December 4, 1997, from lung cancer. He is one of the most influential figures in behavior therapy....
dubbed her "the mother of behavior therapy". Mary Cover Jones studied psychology at Vassar College
Vassar College
Vassar College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college in the town of Poughkeepsie, New York, in the United States. The Vassar campus comprises over and more than 100 buildings, including four National Historic Landmarks, ranging in style from Collegiate Gothic to International,...
, from which she graduated in 1919, after which she went on to work with noted behaviorist John B. Watson
John B. Watson
John Broadus Watson was an American psychologist who established the psychological school of behaviorism. Watson promoted a change in psychology through his address Psychology as the Behaviorist Views it which was given at Columbia University in 1913...
during the 1920s.
Her study of unconditioning a fear of rabbits, which she conducted at the Institute of Educational Research, Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
Teachers’ College on a three-year-old named Peter, is her most often cited work. Jones treated Peter’s fear of a white rabbit by “direct conditioning
Conditioning
Conditioning may refer to:* In psychology, the process of performing some particular action to directly influence an individual's learning; see education...
,” in which a pleasant stimulus (food) was associated with the rabbit. As the rabbit was gradually brought closer to him in the presence of his favorite food, Peter grew more tolerant, and was able to touch it without fear.
In the late 1920s Jones assumed a position as research associate at the Institute for Child Welfare at the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
where she became involved in the longitudinal Oakland Growth Study (OGS). In 1952, Jones was appointed Assistant Professor of Education at Berkeley and in 1959, one year before her retirement, she became full professor. In 1968, Jones received the prestigious G. Stanley Hall
G. Stanley Hall
Granville Stanley Hall was a pioneering American psychologist and educator. His interests focused on childhood development and evolutionary theory...
Award from the American Psychological Association
American Psychological Association
The American Psychological Association is the largest scientific and professional organization of psychologists in the United States. It is the world's largest association of psychologists with around 154,000 members including scientists, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. The APA...
(APA).
Mary Cover Jones died in Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Situated on an east-west trending section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coast of the United States, the city lies between the steeply-rising Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean...
on July 22, 1987.
Further reading
- Jones, M. C. (1924). A laboratory study of fear: The case of Peter. The Pedagogical Seminary, 31, 308-315
- Jones, M. C. (1974). Albert, Peter, and John B. Watson. American Psychologist, 29, 581-584