IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT SALIVATING DOGS! The domestic dog; not only man’s best friend but also a pioneer in behavioral psychology.
Pavlov’s Dogs Over 100 years ago, Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936) composed one of the most informational of experiments in behavioral psychology studies in a series of experiments termed “Pavlov’s Dogs.” Pavlov’s experiments with dogs captures how classical conditioning can be used to promote a particular association between stimuli and the anticipation of events.
with a device to measure the amount of saliva produced upon feeding. When measuring salivation rates, Pavlov’s data indicated that the dogs would produce saliva not only upon feeding but again in anticipation of food, which is a normal digestive response. Pavlov furthermore discovered the dogs would also start to salivate when other events occurred that ordinarily would not be related to food. This response by the dogs established the key foundation of classical conditioning, a learning process through association of which two stimuli are linked together to produce a new learned response.
stimulus with the secondary action of being fed; thus, causing the dogs to salivate to the non-food stimulus. This union between these two actions demonstrates that once a neutral stimulus is repeatedly presented with another event and over a period of time, the neutral stimulus will then develop into a conditioned reflex response. The dogs uncovered and had proven the concept of classical conditioning.
Experimental Procedures Pavlov discovered classical conditioning unintentionally, during his research into the gastrointestinal tract and salivary processes of dogs. Pavlov isolated dogs in a controlled test environment after surgically removing their salivary ducts, redirecting them to the outside of the dogs’ mouth. Each dog was equipped
The Dogs Respond Upon repetitive presenting of a non-food stimulus to the dogs prior to feeding they would learn to associate the non-food
Pavlov’s experimental findings continue to influence modern day behavioral studies. Classical conditioning can be proven through the replicability of Pavlov’s research; which is now recognized as an important unconscious influence on human behavior.