Who is the father of behaviorism?

Two people who are known as the Founding Fathers of Behaviorism are Edward Thorndike and John Broadus Watson. While both studied behavior during their careers, Thorndike is known for studying the behaviors of animals, while Watson focused on the behaviors of children.

Edward Thorndike's experiment involved placing animals in cages to study the various methods each used to escape. His belief was that whatever behavior occurred right before the animal escaped was reinforced by getting free.

John Broadus Watson is known for his experiment involving a one-year-old child and a white rat. His focus was on teaching the child to be afraid of the rat by giving the child a white rat while causing a loud noise.