Study: Pavlov’s dogs (1902)

• Classical conditioning


  Learning process where a neutral stimulus becomes associated with a reflexive response
• Pavlov's experiment


  • Dogs were conditioned to associate a neutral stimulus with a reflexive response
  • Used a bell as a neutral stimulus
  • Food was the unconditioned stimulus
  • Salivation was the unconditioned response
• Pavlov's conditioning procedure


  1. Present food

  2. Introduce bell before food

  3. Repeat several trials

  4. Present bell alone
• Conditioned response


  A learned response to a previously neutral stimulus
• Conditioned stimulus


  A neutral stimulus that has been associated with an unconditioned stimulus
• Behaviorism


  • Pavlov's work laid the foundation for behaviourism
  • Principles explain a wide range of behaviours
• Therapy Techniques


  • Systemic desensitisation
  • Exposure therapy
• Systemic desensitisation


  A technique to gradually 'unlearn' a conditioned response
• Little Albert Experiment


  Demonstrated emotional responses could be classically conditioned
• Educational strategies


  • Repetitive learning
  • Rote memorisation
• Marketing and Advertising


  Uses principles from classical conditioning to build brand recognition
• In advertising, brands may pair products with appealing stimuli