Pavlov's Discoveries: The Science of Classical Conditioning and its Implications for Human Behavior
People illustrations by Storyset
How do we learn from our environment? Do we remember things based on what we see and experience? Can we change our behavior by rewarding or punishing certain actions? Does the brain and body work together to control behavior? Can we use what we know about learning to help people in better ways? Do emotions develop?
These were some of the questions that Russian physiologist and psychologist Ivan Petrovich Pavlov was able to answer through his experiment performed on dogs.
Born to a Russian Orthodox Church priest and the daughter of a wealthy merchant on September 14th, 1849, he fell in love with science and enrolled in the physics and mathematics faculty, even though he was initially following a more theological path, following after his father.
He made his first treatise (systematic review) on the physiology of the pancreatic nerves, for which he earned himself a gold medal.
With his interest building along the lines of physiology, it was no wonder that he performed the experiment he is well-known for in the medical field and for which he received a Nobel Prize.
The main driving force for this man was interest, and we should all take note of that the next time an idea flies past our head that we want to let go of simply because it is an idea.
How do we learn from our environment?
Pavlov, while researching into the meaning of some of the physiological functions of the digestive system, found that reflexes could be conditioned.
I think in the past it was very necessary for the sciences to be intertwined the way they were, a physiologist knowing so much about psychology. It is not typical in today’s day and age, but that is the way with discovery. It has to be broad and then specific, and that was the way with this discovery.
There was an existing notion about salivary secretions called "psychic secretion," which was due to the secretions that were noted in animals when food was at a distance.
Working on the knowledge he had gained from D. D. Glinskii in 1895 on making artificial openings on the ducts of the salivary gland, Pavlov was able to understand the nature of these glands.
He rejected the old hypothesis (reflexology) that all behaviors, including complex human behaviors, could be explained as a series of reflexes controlled by the nervous system.
What the old theory was trying to say was that every decision we make or action afterward was not due to forethought, association, or any of that. It was just a reflex that was not well understood but would be eventually.
In reality, this was not the case, but the worlds of science, physiology, and psychology had not figured that out yet.
No one at the time believed that we learn from our environment… How did Pavlov prove this?
Do we remember things based on what we see and experience?
During Pavlov's experiments, he noticed that dogs would start to salivate at the sound of the lab assistant's footsteps before any food was presented to them. He realized that the dogs had learned to associate the sound of the footsteps with the arrival of food and were therefore anticipating the arrival of food.
To test this hypothesis, Pavlov conducted a series of experiments. He rang a bell each time he gave food to the dogs. After a few trials, the dogs started to salivate as soon as they heard the bell, even if no food was presented. This was a eureka moment.
He named the response a conditioned reflex.
Pavlov found that by putting the sound of the bell side by side with the presentation of food, he could train the dogs to associate the two stimuli. With time, the dogs learned the sound of the bell meant the food was about to arrive and would start to salivate at the sound of the bell alone.
Pavlov's experiment demonstrated the concept of classical conditioning, where an existing reflex can be trained to respond to a different stimulus. This concept has been widely studied and applied in psychiatry, education, and advertising.
Can we change our behavior by rewarding or punishing certain actions?
This experiment can be applied to human behavior. The principles of Pavlovian conditioning can be applied to shape human behavior by pairing desirable or undesirable outcomes with specific behaviors.
Reward and punishment are two methods of conditioning behavior that can be used to achieve desired outcomes.
In Pavlov's experiment, food was used as a reward to condition the dogs to salivate in response to the sound of a bell. In this case, the reward was positive reinforcement, which strengthened the association between the bell and food.
On the other hand, punishment is a form of negative reinforcement, which involves pairing an unpleasant outcome with a specific behavior to discourage that behavior. For example, a child who misbehaves may be punished by being grounded or having privileges taken away.
Over time, the child learns to associate the negative outcome with the misbehavior and is less likely to repeat it in the future.
The application of reward and punishment can be used in various contexts, such as education, parenting, and workplace management. For instance, teachers may use rewards such as stickers or extra credit to encourage students to participate in class or complete their assignments. Conversely, employers may use punishments such as reprimands or loss of bonuses to discourage employees from engaging in unethical behavior.
Timing and Consistency
Consistency is also crucial in behavior modification. If rewards and punishments are only delivered sporadically or inconsistently, the individual may become confused or uncertain about what behaviors are acceptable or unacceptable, and may be less likely to modify their behavior accordingly.
For example, imagine a parent who wants to teach their child to put away their toys after playing.
If the parent consistently praises the child for putting away their toys immediately after finishing playing, he or she is more likely to repeat the behavior in the future. However, if the parent only praises the child occasionally, or only when they feel like it, the child may become confused about what behaviors are desirable and may not be as likely to consistently put away their toys.
Similarly, if the parent only occasionally punishes the child for not putting away their toys, the child may not learn that this behavior is unacceptable and may continue to leave their toys out after playing. However, if the parent consistently follows through with a punishment every time the child fails to put away their toys, the child is more likely to learn that this behavior is unacceptable and modify their behavior accordingly. I wrote about this in my post on consistency.
Enuresis Alarm
In 1930, the enuresis alarm or bedwetting alarm was made by Dr. Morris A. Sippy. It was designed to train children to avoid bedwetting. It draws from the principles of classical conditioning. The sensor of the alarm is placed in the child’s underwear, and an alarm is placed next to the child's bed. When the alarm detects drops of urine, it gets triggered, and the alarm goes off.
The child wakes up to the alarm each time and is made to associate a full bladder with the sound of the alarm and starts to wake up before wetting the bed. The unconditioned stimulus is the full bladder and is related to the unconditioned response, which is bedwetting. The child eventually associates the two stimuli.
To be effective, the moisture alarm must be used consistently and in a timely manner. Consistency means using the alarm every night until the child has achieved at least 14 consecutive dry nights. Timely means that the alarm should be triggered at the first sign of wetness to ensure that the child makes the connection between the sensation of a full bladder and the sound of the alarm.
What do you think is the reason for this?
You can send me a message on WhatsApp at +2348134530293, and we can have a conversation, or you can speak with a licensed therapist.
Conclusion
Ivan Petrovich Pavlov's experiments with dogs and the principles of classical conditioning have had a significant impact on the fields of psychology, psychiatry, education, and advertising. His work demonstrated that behavior can be modified through reinforcement and punishment, and that associations between stimuli and reflexes can be created.
Pavlov's findings have been applied in various contexts, from training animals to shaping human behavior. The principles of classical conditioning have been used to help individuals overcome phobias and addictions, and to improve learning outcomes in educational settings. They have also been utilized in advertising to create brand associations and influence consumer behavior.
Furthermore, Pavlov's work highlights the importance of curiosity and interdisciplinary research. His interest in physiology led him to make groundbreaking discoveries in psychology, demonstrating the value of knowledge that spans across different fields.
In essence, Pavlov's experiments illustrate that learning and behavior modification are possible through a combination of environmental cues, reinforcement, and punishment. His legacy has not only contributed to our understanding of animal and human behavior, but has also provided practical applications for improving our lives.
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