His name is Pavlov. Ivan Pavlov. And he’s watching you…

Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov first documented Classical Conditioning – learning through association – at the turn of last century. While researching processes of digestion, Pavlov found that the presence of the researchers in their white lab coats created an increase in the study dogs’ saliva production. This effect redirected Pavlov’s intended research, when he realized that he had stumbled upon something previously undocumented. Pavlov discovered that a Conditioned Response, an uncontrollable bodily reflex such as salivation, could come to be elicited by a neutral stimulus (something that has no inherent meaning), such as the ringing of a bell. Conditioned Responses also include emotions – joy, fear, irritation, relaxation, etc. The crux of Classical Conditioning is that these responses are not controllable through conscious intent; rather, they are reflexive. Continue reading Is That a Russian Physiologist on Your Shoulder, or Are You Just Happy to See Me? →