Pavlov, I.
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[edit] Descriptions, definitions, synonyms, organizer terms, types of
http://nobelprize.org/medicine/laureates/1904/pavlov.gif
Born September 14, 1849, Ivan Petrovich Pavlov was later to become an important scientist, researcher, and Nobel Prize winner who has made significant contributions to physiology, psychology and psychopathology. His father was the village priest in Ryazan, Russia, the place of his birth. Early on, his family encouraged him in a religious career, educating him at a church school in town, and later at the local theological seminary. Inspired by Russian literary critics, he left his religious career to study science at the University of St. Petersburg (followed by anohter course at the Academy of Medical Surgery
He had much success in his studies. At the University of St. Petersburg, he produced at treatise collaboratively with another student on the physiology of the pancreatic nerves, for which he won a gold medal. He completed the Degree of Candidate of Natural Sciences in 1875. He completed his course at the Academy of Medical Surgery in 1879 and was once again awarded a gold medal. In his work and through a fellowship, he was able to continue his research. He conducted early research on the physiology of the heart.
In 1890, Pavlov became the Director of Physiology at the Institute of Experimental Medicine. He is well-known for his research on the physiology of digestion that was conducted here from 1891-1890. This research led to the creation of a science of conditioned reflexes, specifically, a theory of "psychic secretion." Pavlov became fascinated with the complex interrelations between the environment and the organisms within it. Pavlov's extensive research resulted in three guiding principles for the theory of reflexes: the theory of reflexes, the principle of determinism, the principle of analysis and sythesis and the principle of structure.
Pavlov studied the salivation of dogs as a reflex. He investigated the relationship between salivation and the nervous system. His goal was to determine whether external stimuli affected salivation and digestion. He rang a metronome at the same time he provided the dogs with food. The dogs, who had previously only salivated when they saw or ate the food, eventually came to begin salivation at the time the metronome was sounded, with no food produced. This "learning" process -- salivation in conjunction with the metronome, developed the theory of "conditioning," where the nervous system associates the external stimuli with salivation, causing a conditioned reflex. He also found that the reflex would be repressed if the external stimulus (metronome) repeatedly did not occur together with the food. Pavlov received world-wide acclaim for his research and findings on classical conditioning, winning a Nobel Prize in 1904, in addition to various other awards and recognition. His research on a higher level of nervous system activity was continued through sponsorship by the Communist Party and Soviet government by himself and others. (A Science Odyssey: Ivan Pavlov and Pavlov, Nobel Lectures).
[edit] Application in classrooms and similar settings
"Learning is a relatively durable change in behavior or knowledge that is due to experience" (Learning/Conditioning). Classical conditioning is not learning, per se. It is an association that is developed between a stimulus and a response that is developed over time, so that whenever that stimulus is produced, the same involuntary response is produced. It is important to distinguish between classical conditioning, where there is an involuntary physical response to a stimulus, and operant conditioning, where a particular behavior is brought about by reinforcement, using either pleasing or aversive stimuli.
Classical conditioning, while not used frequently in today's classrooms using Pavlov's method (conditioned stimulus, conditioned response), was built upon by John Watson and B.F. Skinner. Watson and Skinner, along with Pavlov, are considered the originators of behaviorism. Skinner's Operant Conditioning Theory is based on Pavlov's work. Operant Conditioning rewards desired behavior. Behaviorist techniques are frequently used in today's classroom to promote positive behaviors and discourage negative behaviors (Standridge).
[edit] Evidence of effectiveness
Pavlov's Classical Conditioning has been proven effective both with animals and humans. However, it is a rarely used method of managing classroom behavior today, having been replaced with more humane methods, and giving greater credit to children's cognitive abilities. The most common examples of Classical Conditioning in the classroom relate to certain fears or phobias students possess. These are generally acquired through association of a negative experience with school or a school activity.
[edit] Critics and their rationale
Psychological thinking has changed greatly over the last 100 years, since classical conditioning and operant conditioning were researched. Current research indicates a number of flaws in the work of the behaviorists.
Pavlov thought conditioning was a blind, reflexive, automatic and unthinking process. Recent research indicates that the mind and cognitive thinking are very much involved in conditioning. Biology and genes were not considered by Pavlov as having an impact on the effectiveness of conditioning. Over the last ten years, psychologists have studied identical twins raised separately, and have concluded that much of behavior is related to genetics. Pavlov, with his experiments involving animals, did not consider the differences between species, specifically animals and human beings. Instinctive fears are very different from species to species, and each group has evolved differently. The time element to condition a human being may be a far cry from the time element to condition a rat. Human beings don't seem sensitive to a time schedule of reinforcement (Tucker-Ladd, 2000).
[edit] Alternative explanations due to Diversity considerations
[edit] Signed "life experiences", testimonies and stories
[edit] Questions, Comments, Wonderments
A TNT Law & Order commercial flashes "Pavlov's Dogs Salivated" on the screen referring to the dogs salivating to the bell sounds (prior to the lights). This reference is used to compare people's reactions to the beginning sounds of Law & Order. How much are the tv viewers sucked in to watching certain shows by such psyhcological effects? Is this done to increase ratings? Or is it a publicity stunt? Furthermore, how much of the subliminal messaging occurs that the television-consuming public is not aware of? For instance, the sounds.
[edit] References and other links of interest
A science odyssey: Ivan Pavlov. (n.d.). Retrieved Feb. 17, 2005, from People and Discoveries Web site: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/databank/entries/bhpavl.html.
Abbott, L. (n.d.). Behavioral theory. Retrieved Mar. 06, 2005, from http://teachnet.edb.utexas.edu/~lynda_abbott/Behavioral1.html.
Blaszczynski, A. P. (1985). A winning bet: treatment for compulsive gambling. Psychology Today, 19, 38+.
DeVito, P. L. (1994). The immune system v. stress. USA Today, 123(2590), 27+.
Learning/conditioning. (n.d.). Retrieved Feb. 18, 2005, from http://www.alleydog.com/101notes/conditioning.html Web site: http://www.alleydog.com/.
Pavlov, I. P. (1967). Ivan p. pavlov. Nobel Lectures, Physiology or Medicine 1901-1921, Retrieved Feb 17, 2005
Standridge, M.. (2002). Behaviorism. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Available Website: http://www.coe.uga.edu/epltt/Behaviorism.htm
Tucker-Ladd, C. (2000). Psychological self-help. http://mentalhelp.net/psyhelp/chap4/chap4f.htm. Mental Health Net.
