--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Give me a dozen healthy infants…" description: "\"Give me a dozen healthy infants, well-formed, and my own specified world to bring them up in and I'll guarantee to take any one at random and train him..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63b/john-b-watson-44465_ability_give-me-a-dozen-healthy-infants-well-for_2072379.jpg" --- # Give me a dozen healthy infants, well-formed, and my own… ![“Give me a dozen healthy infants, well-formed, and my own specified world to bring them up in and I'll guarantee to take any one at random and train him to become any type of specialist I might select--doctor, lawyer, artist, merchant-chief, and, yes, even beggarman and thief, regardless of his…” quote by John B. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63b/john-b-watson-44465_ability_give-me-a-dozen-healthy-infants-well-for_2072379.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63b/john-b-watson-44465_ability_give-me-a-dozen-healthy-infants-well-for_2072379.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63b/john-b-watson-44465_ability_give-me-a-dozen-healthy-infants-well-for_2072379.jpg) > “Give me a dozen healthy infants, well-formed, and my own specified world to bring them up in and I'll guarantee to take any one at random and train him to become any type of specialist I might select--doctor, lawyer, artist, merchant-chief, and, yes, even beggarman and thief, regardless of his talents, penchants, tendencies, abilities, vocations, and race of his ancestors. I am going beyond my facts and I admit it, but so have the advocates of the contrary and they have been doing it for many thousands of years.” [John B. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-watson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests that with enough training, any individual can be molded into any profession, ignoring innate abilities or background. **In simple terms:** Training can override natural talent. Key Takeaway Focus on nurturing potential. Themes education potential nature vs nurture Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical controversial When to use this quote - child development programs - vocational training - talent scouting - policy design Key Concepts behaviorism determinism social engineering Questions to Reflect On - Can any skill truly be taught regardless of background? - What ethical limits exist for such training? A Different Perspective Overlooks genetic and personal constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Ancestor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancestor/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Behaviorism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behaviorism/) [Chiefs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chiefs/) [Doctors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctors/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Lawyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lawyer/) [Nature vs nurture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-vs-nurture/) [Nurturing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nurturing/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent/) [Talents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talents/) [Thieves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thieves/) [Train](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/train/) [Upbringing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/upbringing/) [Vocation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vocation/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Give me a dozen healthy infants, well-formed, and my own specified world to bring them up and I'll guarantee to take any one at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/give-me-a-dozen-healthy-infants-well-formed-and-my-own-specified/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“One brain’s blueprint may promote joy more readily than most; in another, pessimism reigns. Whether happiness infuses or eludes a person depends, in part,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-lewis/one-brain-s-blueprint-may-promote-joy-more-readily-than-most-in/) [Thomas Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-lewis/) > [Well, it arose out of two long-term concerns - the first being the possibility of genetic manipulation, nature versus nurture, what constitutes how people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-dunn/well-it-arose-out-of-two-long-term-concerns-the-first-being-the/) [Katherine Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunn/) > [What worries me is that the debate about gender differences still seems to polarize nature vs. nurture, with some in the social sciences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-baron-cohen/what-worries-me-is-that-the-debate-about-gender-differences-still/) [Simon Baron-Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-baron-cohen/) > [“Needs are imposed by nature. Wants are sold by society.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/needs-are-imposed-by-nature-wants-are-sold-by-society/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [As comfortable as I was with my adoption, the nature-versus-nurture question has been a big one for me. I adore my parents, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-procter/as-comfortable-as-i-was-with-my-adoption-the-nature-versus-nurture/) [Emily Procter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-procter/) > [“No body wishes more than I do to see such proofs as you exhibit, that nature has given to our black brethren, talents equal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/no-body-wishes-more-than-i-do-to-see-such-proofs-as-you-exhibit-that/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“Don't tell me from genetics. What've they got to do with it?" said Crowley. "Look at Satan. Created as an angel, grows up to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/don-t-tell-me-from-genetics-what-ve-they-got-to-do-with-it-said/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [He was the ultimate experiment in Nature Versus Nurture, and she imagined he must be engaged in a constant battle between what he was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larissa-ione/he-was-the-ultimate-experiment-in-nature-versus-nurture-and-she/) [Larissa Ione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larissa-ione/) > [In the real world there is no nature vs. nurture argument, only an infinitely complex and moment-by-moment interaction between genetic and environmental effects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabor-mat/in-the-real-world-there-is-no-nature-vs-nurture-argument-only-an/) [Gabor Mate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabor-mat/) > [“A conscience is a self-reproaching program that is installed in us, not by nature, but by our culture.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/a-conscience-is-a-self-reproaching-program-that-is-installed-in-us/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“You can use a spear as a walking stick, but that will not change its nature.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/you-can-use-a-spear-as-a-walking-stick-but-that-will-not-change-its/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [When the hoary old question of nature versus nurture comes around, sides form quickly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-blackburn/when-the-hoary-old-question-of-nature-versus-nurture-comes-around/) [Simon Blackburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-blackburn/) > [“Day after day, more and more medications are prescribed for depression and addiction, assuming that these things run in our blood, when really they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vironika-tugaleva/day-after-day-more-and-more-medications-are-prescribed-for-depression/) [Vironika Tugaleva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vironika-tugaleva/) > [“Virginity comes standard. A good head is earned.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/virginity-comes-standard-a-good-head-is-earned/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) ## More by John B. Watson > [The Behaviorist cannot find consciousness in the test-tube of his science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-watson/the-behaviorist-cannot-find-consciousness-in-the-test-tube-of-his/) [John B. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-watson/) > [The first aim of a good college is not to teach books, but the meaning and purpose of life. Hard study and the learning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-watson/the-first-aim-of-a-good-college-is-not-to-teach-books-but-the-meaning/) [John B. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-watson/) > [No one knows just how the idea of a soul or the supernatural started... It probably had its origin in the general laziness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-watson/no-one-knows-just-how-the-idea-of-a-soul-or-the-supernatural-started/) [John B. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-watson/) > [Men are built, not born… Give me the baby, and I'll make it climb and use its hands in constructing buildings of stone or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-watson/men-are-built-not-born-give-me-the-baby-and-i-ll-make-it-climb-and/) [John B. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-watson/) > [The behaviorist advances the view that what the psychologists have hitherto called thought is in short nothing but talking to ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-watson/the-behaviorist-advances-the-view-that-what-the-psychologists-have/) [John B. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-watson/) > [Psychology, as the behaviorist views it, is a purely objective, experimental branch of natural science which needs introspection as little as do the sciences…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-watson/psychology-as-the-behaviorist-views-it-is-a-purely-objective/) [John B. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-watson/) > [This dogma (the soul) has been present in human psychology from earliest antiquity. No one has ever touched the soul, or has seen one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-watson/this-dogma-the-soul-has-been-present-in-human-psychology-from/) [John B. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-watson/) > [There are... for us no instincts—we no longer need the term in psychology. Everything we have been in the habit of calling an 'instinct'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-watson/there-are-for-us-no-instincts-we-no-longer-need-the-term-in/) [John B. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-watson/) [Explore all 9 John B. Watson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-watson/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Give me a dozen healthy infants, well-formed, and my own specified world to bring them up in and I'll guarantee to take any one at random and train him to become any type of specialist I might select--doctor, lawyer, artist, merchant-chief, and, yes, even beggarman and thief, regardless of his talents, penchants, tendencies, abilities, vocations, and race of his ancestors. 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