Question

What role did Ivan Pavlov play in the study of classical conditioning?

Answer 1

Ivan Pavlov a Russian physiologist was studying the salivating rates dogs, when he accidentally came across classical conditioning. He observed that dogs started drooling at the sight of lab attendants who brought food them, even at times when they didn't bring food for them.

Thus, Pavlov began to study this behavior in dogs. He discovered that there is natural response that requires no learning in dogs and this response is salivating in dogs when they see their food. He observed that any stimulus that dogs learn to associate with food would trigger the same response of salivating. Pavlov in his studies about this phenomena associated bell ringing with food. So, when dogs heard the bell ringing would start salivating even if they are not presented with food. Pavlov concluded that :

Food (Unconditioned stimulus) --> Salivating (Unconditioned response)

Food + Bell (neutral stimulus) --> Salivating (Unconditioned response)

Bell (Conditioned stimulus)--> Salivating (Conditioned stimulus).

Pavlov described this association of neutral stimulus to Unconditioned stimulus that triggered Conditioned response as "Classical Conditioning" . Thus, Pavlov's study paved way for many studies related to learned behaviors.