Behave by
Andromeda Romano-Lax is a fictionalized story of an unsung figure in early
American psychological fields, Rosalie Rayner Watson. She was a part of the
famous and controversial “Little Albert” study at John Hopkins by Dr. John B.
Watson.
The story opens with Rosalie as a student at Vassar College
1916 where she is taking classes from Dr. Margaret Washburn, the first
female to receive a Ph.D. in psychology. In 1919, she attends a lecture where
she would meet Dr. Watson which would lead her on a path to working with him at
John Hopkins. She becomes a part of his study on babies in early environment
and basic emotions: fear, rage, love. Soon, the attraction between the two is
evident. Their love affair would lead to scandal and their marriage would lead
to some of his greatest successes. As they married and had children, would she
agree with his psychological theories and parenting style?
When I started this book, I didn’t recognize the names until
I got to the part of the little Albert study. I realized that the name John b.
Watson sounded awfully familiar. I stopped reading briefly to look up the name
and, of course, it’s familiar. As a psychology student who studied early
childhood development, the Little Albert study was covered prominently. Then I
returned to the book with eagerness. Eager to learn more about the woman who
helped in the study, who would become his wife and the life she would lead. It
was interesting to see more, albeit fictionalized, version of some of the
pioneers in American psychology. It is an excellent view into the life of a
woman who, even in life, remains in the shadows of the psychology field but
whose contributions are still studied today. I highly recommend Behave.
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