Mary Cover Jones
Mary Cover Jones (1897-1987) was a pioneering American developmental psychologist, notable for her significant contributions to behavior therapy despite the predominant male dominance in the field during the 20th century. Joseph Wolpe famously dubbed her "the mother of behavior therapy," attributing this title to her groundbreaking work with Peter, a young boy she successfully treated for phobias through what she termed "direct conditioning." Her influential 1924 study, "A laboratory study of fear: The case of Peter," marked a pivotal moment in the development of behavior therapy, particularly systematic desensitization techniques.
Cover Jones also served as President of the American Psychological Association's Division of Developmental Psychology and received the prestigious G. Stanley Hall Award in 1968 for her exceptional lifetime achievements in the field. Her legacy as a trailblazer in both developmental psychology and behavior therapy remains significant, underscoring her enduring influence on psychological theory and practice.
Her Story
Cover Jones began her academic journey at Vassar College, graduating in 1919, and continued her studies at Columbia University where she earned her master's degree in 1920 followed by a doctorate in 1926. During this time, she married Harold Jones, a fellow psychology graduate student. Their collaboration continued when Harold accepted a dual position at the University of California, Berkeley in 1927, where Mary became a research assistant at the Institute for Child Welfare. Here, she played a crucial role in the Oakland Growth Study, a pioneering longitudinal research project that tracked fifth and sixth graders into adulthood, culminating in her conducting final interviews at the age of 83 in 1980. Cover Jones's work on this study yielded over 100 publications, highlighting her enduring commitment to the field of developmental psychology.
For Contributions to Psychology
"Little Peter" experiments
Mary Cover Jones became intrigued by John B. Watson's "Little Albert experiment" while attending one of his speeches. Watson had conditioned an infant to fear a white rat through paired associations with a loud noise. Cover Jones wondered if Watson's methods could be reversed to alleviate children's fears. Her seminal work involved three-year-old Peter at Columbia University, where she used "direct conditioning" to diminish his fear of rabbits by associating the rabbit with pleasant stimuli like food. Peter, chosen for his otherwise normal development except for his rabbit phobia, responded positively as the rabbit was gradually introduced closer, eventually allowing it to touch him without fear. Despite initial dismissal, her 1924 paper "A Laboratory Study of Fear: The Case of Peter" later gained recognition for its pioneering impact on behavioral therapy and the development of desensitization techniques. This study, once rediscovered in the 1970s, solidified Cover Jones's reputation as a pivotal figure in behavioral therapy, earning her the title "the mother of behavioral therapy" and influencing the treatment of phobias through systematic exposure to feared stimuli.
The Oakland Growth Study
The Oakland Growth Study stands as one of Mary Cover Jones's most impactful endeavors, part of a trilogy of longitudinal studies initiated by Berkeley College. Following the Berkeley Growth Study focused on newborns and the Berkeley Guidance Study on preschoolers, the Oakland Growth Study (OGS) commenced in 1932 under the leadership of Cover Jones and her husband. Located in Oakland, California, the study tracked 212 fifth and sixth grade students born between 1920 and 1921, observing them biannually until high school graduation and then at ages 38, 48, and 60.
This comprehensive research aimed to illuminate the nuances of adolescent development, examining physical abilities, physiological changes, and peer dynamics. The adulthood phases of the study included interviews, questionnaires, personality assessments, and health evaluations, culminating in final interviews in 1980 when Cover Jones herself was 83 years old.
The study's extensive data, meticulously gathered over decades, facilitated Cover Jones's publication of over 100 papers and continues to serve as a foundational resource in child development research. Key findings included insights into the long-term emotional and behavioral impacts of early and late puberty among boys and girls, as well as investigations into the developmental effects of adolescent drinking and economic status. Cover Jones's unwavering dedication to the study and her strong rapport with participants were crucial factors in its enduring success and contribution to the field.
Impact of Puberty Timing on Adolescent Development
Mary Cover Jones explored the impact of puberty timing on adolescent development, noting that early-maturing children were often treated differently by peers and adults. Her research, along with Paul Mussen, published in the flagship journal Child Development in 1957 and 1958, examined how physical maturation influenced self-concepts in both early and late maturing boys and girls. Using various personality inventories, they analyzed traits and perceptions among adolescents, finding that early-maturing boys and girls faced more challenging socio-psychological environments compared to their later maturing counterparts. This research highlighted significant societal implications of puberty timing, particularly in how it shapes early experiences and perceptions into adulthood.
Historical Context
The 20th century marked a pivotal period in psychology's evolution, shifting away from traditional views of human physiology to delve deeper into the complexities of the mind. Behaviorism, pioneered by Ivan Pavlov and expanded by John B. Watson, became a cornerstone of experimental psychology, demonstrating how neutral stimuli could be conditioned through behavior and learning, initially with animals and later with children. Despite these strides, Mary Cover Jones faced significant gender bias in developmental psychology, hindering recognition of her pioneering research in a field perceived as disreputable during that era. She confronted obstacles like anti-nepotism rules that initially denied her a professorship due to her husband's position, leading her instead to a research role at the University of California Berkeley, where she eventually achieved tenure decades later.
Jones persevered amid societal challenges, driven by a deep belief in her research's importance. Inspired by encounters with influential figures like John B. Watson and Robert S. Woodworth, she pursued groundbreaking studies in developmental psychology and behavior therapy. Her work was profoundly influenced by the historical upheavals of the 1900s, such as the Great Depression, which highlighted the critical impacts of economic instability on childhood and adolescence. Jones's influential Oakland Growth Study (OGS), initiated amidst these turbulent times, shed light on the long-term emotional and behavioral effects of early life experiences, including puberty and economic status, on psychological well-being.
Jones's commitment to advancing psychology as a field of human understanding persisted throughout her career, fostering enduring impacts on research and practice. Her approach emphasized the personal connections she forged with research participants, viewing them not merely as subjects but as valued contributors to her scientific inquiries.
Mary Cover Jones, renowned for her groundbreaking work on the deconditioning of fear in children, faced initial disregard for her study "The Case of Peter," which was deemed unsuitable for her dissertation due to its single-participant focus. However, the significance of Jones' research resonated deeply with behavioral psychologists like Wolpe, who credited her with pioneering counterconditioning-a method crucial to his development of systematic desensitization therapy. This therapeutic approach remains pivotal in treating specific phobias and anxieties by gradually exposing patients to feared stimuli in a relaxed state.
Beyond her seminal work with Peter, Jones's longitudinal Oakland Growth Study (OGS) marked the pinnacle of her career. Her studies on early and late maturation and the antecedents of drinking problems provided foundational insights into adolescent development. Despite a narrow sample, Jones's research laid empirical groundwork for understanding and potentially preventing alcoholism among adolescents, underscoring her innovative contributions to developmental psychology.
Jones's ethical approach to research, notably in contrast to infamous studies like the Tuskegee Syphilis Study and others of the era, set a precedent for participant care and respect. Her reflection on the impact of her work, emphasizing the removal rather than creation of fear in children, exemplifies her ethical stance and enduring commitment to the welfare of her subjects. This caring attitude fostered deep bonds with OGS participants, as evidenced by the overwhelming attendance of over 150 members at her memorial service, highlighting her lasting impact as both a scientist and a compassionate advocate.
