IVAN PAVLOV
The Russian physicist Ivan Petrovitsj Pavlov was born in 1849. He studied
pharmacology and physiology in Sint Petersburg. Later he became a teacher on
this academy. Besides teaching, he was involved in medical research. Pavlov was
interested in the behaviour of both humans and animals, and he was especially
interested in reflexes. His biggest contribution to the field of psychology is
classical conditioning, a theory about how behaviour is learned. He recieved a
Nobel price for his important contribution to science. Pavlov died in 1936 in
Russia.
Pavlov was a behaviourist. This means that his theories focussed on observable
behaviour, because behaviour can be measured and thought can not. The human mind
should be interpreted as a black box that can not be opened. Only was goes in
the box and what comes out can be known. Scientific evidence is the keyword in
his theory. Pavlov studied reflexes, automatic behaviour that is caused by a
stimulus from the enironment. Some reflexes, such as blinking your eyes when a
puff of air comes in it, or the sucking of a baby when something is put in his/her
mouth. This automatic behaviour can be manipulated. This is called conditioning.
In this conditioning process, a unconditional stimulus is given to a person.
This stimulus causes a reflex on its own. When the unconditional stimulus is now
given to the person together with a stimulus that does not cause a reflex on its
own. Thus, a unconditional stimulus is given together with a conditional
stimulus. Because the presence of the unconditional stimulus, the reflex is
caused. This process of stimulus-response is repeated for a number of times.
After a while, the unconditional stimulus is not offered any more. Only the
conditional stimulus is offered. Because of the repeated association of the
unconditional and the conditional stimulus, the conditional stimulus will now
cause the reflex on its own. Classical conditioning is succeeded.
Pavlov's theories where very influential, in particular in the field of child
psychology.
The theory of Pavlov could be tested in experiments that where conducted in a
laboratory. He often used animals in his experiments. His most famous experiment
is the one, in which he used dogs to demostrate classical conditioning. The dogs
he used showed a salivation response when they where offered food (unconditional
stimulus). The food was offered a number of time with the sound of a buzzer (conditional
stimulus). After this, the sound of the buzzer alone could produce the
salivation response.
The Russian physicist Ivan Petrovitsj Pavlov was born in 1849. He studied
pharmacology and physiology in Sint Petersburg. Later he became a teacher on
this academy. Besides teaching, he was involved in medical research. Pavlov was
interested in the behaviour of both humans and animals, and he was especially
interested in reflexes. His biggest contribution to the field of psychology is
classical conditioning, a theory about how behaviour is learned. He recieved a
Nobel price for his important contribution to science. Pavlov died in 1936 in
Russia.
Pavlov was a behaviourist. This means that his theories focussed on observable
behaviour, because behaviour can be measured and thought can not. The human mind
should be interpreted as a black box that can not be opened. Only was goes in
the box and what comes out can be known. Scientific evidence is the keyword in
his theory. Pavlov studied reflexes, automatic behaviour that is caused by a
stimulus from the enironment. Some reflexes, such as blinking your eyes when a
puff of air comes in it, or the sucking of a baby when something is put in his/her
mouth. This automatic behaviour can be manipulated. This is called conditioning.
In this conditioning process, a unconditional stimulus is given to a person.
This stimulus causes a reflex on its own. When the unconditional stimulus is now
given to the person together with a stimulus that does not cause a reflex on its
own. Thus, a unconditional stimulus is given together with a conditional
stimulus. Because the presence of the unconditional stimulus, the reflex is
caused. This process of stimulus-response is repeated for a number of times.
After a while, the unconditional stimulus is not offered any more. Only the
conditional stimulus is offered. Because of the repeated association of the
unconditional and the conditional stimulus, the conditional stimulus will now
cause the reflex on its own. Classical conditioning is succeeded.
Pavlov's theories where very influential, in particular in the field of child
psychology.
The theory of Pavlov could be tested in experiments that where conducted in a
laboratory. He often used animals in his experiments. His most famous experiment
is the one, in which he used dogs to demostrate classical conditioning. The dogs
he used showed a salivation response when they where offered food (unconditional
stimulus). The food was offered a number of time with the sound of a buzzer (conditional
stimulus). After this, the sound of the buzzer alone could produce the
salivation response.