Classical Conditioning – Pavlov’s Dogs in the Modern World
The image of Pavlov’s dogs salivating at the sound of a bell is one of psychology’s most famous experiments — but classical conditioning isn’t just history. It remains a foundation for understanding human and animal behaviour today, shaping everything from advertising to education and even our digital habits.
The Experiment That Started It All
In the early 1900s, Ivan Pavlov, a Russian physiologist, noticed that his dogs began to salivate not only when food was presented but also when they heard the footsteps of the assistant who fed them.
To study this formally, Pavlov paired a neutral stimulus (a bell) with an unconditioned stimulus (food). After several repetitions, the dogs began to salivate at the sound of the bell alone — demonstrating classical conditioning.
Key terms:
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Unconditioned stimulus (UCS): food
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Unconditioned response (UCR): salivation
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Conditioned stimulus (CS): bell
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Conditioned response (CR): salivation to the bell
How It Applies Today
Classical conditioning still influences behaviour in many modern contexts:
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Advertising: Products are paired with positive imagery or music to evoke emotional responses.
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Education: Students may associate success or anxiety with particular environments, teachers, or subjects.
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Everyday life: Notifications and alerts on phones create conditioned responses — a sound or vibration can trigger anticipation or stress.
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Therapy: Techniques such as systematic desensitisation use conditioning to help individuals overcome phobias.
The principle remains the same — linking two stimuli so that one triggers a learned response to the other.
Skills Highlight
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Understanding the principles of associative learning
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Applying psychological theory to real-world contexts
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Evaluating classical conditioning in contrast to operant conditioning
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Analysing modern examples of conditioned behaviour
Why It Works in Teaching
Pavlov’s research is both historical and highly relatable. Students can easily recognise conditioned responses in daily life — from craving certain foods to checking their phones — helping them connect classic experiments to modern psychology.
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