4.1.2 Pavlov

Question 1

What was pavlovs aim

Answer 1

to find out if a reflexive behaviour can be produced in new situations through learning. In particular, to see if associating a reflex with a neutral stimulus (a sound) causes learning to take place, producing a conditioned reflex in new situations.

Question 2

Sample of pavlovs study

Answer 2

35 dogs of a variety of breeds, raised in kennels in the lab

Question 3

Procedure of pavlovs study

Answer 3

1.Pavlov placed each dog in a sealed room that didn’t allow the dog to see, smell or hear anything outside. This was to prevent other stimuli (extraneous variables) from making the dog salivate.The dog was strapped into a harness to stop it moving about and its mouth was linked to a tube that drained saliva away into a measuring bottle.

2.In the Control Condition, Pavlov presented the dog with food (meat powder) through a hatch. The dog salivated.
As an experimental Control, Pavlov presented the dog with the Neutral Stimulus sound. The dog did not salivate at this, showing that it was indeed a Neutral Stimulus.

3. To condition the dog, Pavlov paired the sound with the presentation of food. He usually did this 20 times, but it depended on how attentive the dog was.
4. After it was conditioned, Pavlov presented the dog with the sound but no meat.

Question 4

What was Pavlovs results

Answer 4

Pavlov found that the conditioned dog started to salivate 9 seconds after hearing the sound and, by 45 seconds, had produced 11 drops of saliva.

Question 5

What was Pavlovs conclusion

Answer 5

• Pavlov had discovered Classical Conditioning. The Neutral Stimulus, after being repeatedly paired with an Unconditioned Stimulus (the meat), turned into a Conditioned Stimulus, producing the Conditioned Response (salivation) all by itself.

Question 6

Evaluate Pavlovs study

Answer 6

GENERALISABILITY - It is bad due to being done on animals and not humans

RELIABILITY - Is good due to standardised procedure also pavlov repeated the study many times and got different researchers so inter-rater reliability

APPLICATION - Useful for furthering classical conditioning and therapy programmes

ETHICS - Bad treatment of dogs do to being in small rooms and tied up.