John B. Watson’s upbringing influenced his behavioral psychology theories significantly. His early life was marked by a strict and admiring mother and an absentee father, fostering his interest in behavioral patterns rather than introspection. Watson believed that behaviors could be observed and measured without the need for understanding internal mental states. He championed the idea that human actions are conditioned by their environmental stimuli, leading to the development of behaviorism. His emphasis on empirical research transformed psychology, steering the field towards observable behaviors and paving the way for future behavioral studies.