Ivan Pavlov: Father of Classical Conditioning and Behaviorism - Essay Sample

Introduction

Ivan Pavlov was a physiologist from Russia and a significant influencer in the field of psychology, especially Behaviorism. Besides, Pavlov developed a classical conditioning concept when he was learning about dogs' digestions. In the process of learning, Pavlov realized how dogs could salivate when it realizes its assistant was around the room. In his research, he could offer food to dogs and measure the produced saliva in the process. Pavlov, therefore, noticed that dog's salivation was a reflective process that could happen automatically, not in consciousness but under the stimulus (Staddon, 2017). The same implied that dogs were not necessarily learning to salivate when they notice food, but it is the stimulus-response connection making them not requiring any learning process. Besides, dogs would start salivating when they enter the room and even with the absence of food. That is, the dog realizes the salivary response is because of the automatic physiological process. Also, he discovered that the answer is learned, and all things that dogs learn and associated with food could trigger the same reaction. The paper, therefore, discusses the Ivan Petrovich Pavlov- Behaviorism.

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Life History and Struggles

Ivan Petrovich Pavlov was born in 1849 on September 14th in a place known as Ryazan in Russia. He decided to study science after abandoning his early theological education. Pavlov belonged to the department of physiology, and he was the head of the Institute of experimental medicine. He was dedicated to breaking through his work on the dog's digestive system. After his graduation, he started an operation that he developed an exteriorized pouch concerning the dogs' stomach (Rossiianov & Seay, 2017). At the time he was in charge of the Department of Physiology, he focused on secretory activity in the dog's digestive system. Pavlov was a Nobel Prize winner in the field of medicine and physiology and maintained his active research until when he succumbed in 1936 to February.

Life Events and Social Climate That Contributed to the Development of Theory/Research

In the field of psychology, Ivan Pavlov became famous after developing the theory of classical conditioning. As he was studying the dog's digestive system, he realized that animals could salivate when they assist present food. Besides, he discovered that animals could salivate once they notice the white lab coat belonging to the assistant. Therefore, through such findings, Pavlov found through the association of food presentation that led to a conditioned response. The same discovery led to his influence in the field of psychology (Anthony et al., 2018). Also, he demonstrated how animals could be conditioned to salivate at the sound of a tone. On his research and findings, his discovery influenced John B. Watson and other thinkers hence significantly contributing to the development of behaviorism.

Reflecting on his early life, he was a son to the priest, and at his early studies, he concentrated at theology as his primary study. He referred to Charles Darwin's theory, "the origin of the species," which played a significant influence on his research on behaviorism. He, therefore, gave up on studying theology to study science. Pavlov's main concern was to study natural sciences and physiology, and he contributed to the physiology department significantly at the Institute of experimental medicine (Anthony et al., 2018). Moreover, he was skeptical in the field of psychology, leading to a significant influence on the development of behaviorism. Upon receiving different awards, his work had a lifetime influence in the field of science in the mind and behavior. Pavlov's classical conditioning assisted in the development of behaviorism. Therefore, behaviorism emerged to be the main point of reference within the field of psychology.

Greatest Accomplishment

Ivan Pavlov was famous for developing a study that triggered the research of the secretion of saliva. He used dogs as the primary specimen. Also, he developed an interest in studying reflexes when he realized the dog's different reactions without a proper stimulus (Anthony et al., 2018). With the lack of food on his sight, the dog's saliva could still drop. Moreover, this could happen any time dogs were to be served with food. The dog assistant could always wear a lab coat; thus, the dogs could react when they notice the presence of any person on a lab coat. Pavlov then tried to find the link to these phenomena. His main work and consideration was the central concept of specializing in comparative psychology. Also, it was based on the general approach to psychology known as behaviorism. The method based on classical conditioning was influential on the perception of human behavior and learning processes.

Consequently, classical conditioning has continued to be the main focus of new behavior therapy. The research also impacted the field of science, culture, and other aspects of daily life. Other findings such as environment events were not related to any reflex, for instance, bell sound. It could be the main trigger such as salivation and conditioned reflex and other processes where dogs and human beings could learn to have a connection with a stimulus to a reflex, also referred to as conditioning (Anthony et al., 2018). The research led to a notable achievement where Pavlov won a Nobel Prize in the field of medicine or physiology.

Summary of Behaviorism Theory

Behaviorism theory is based on the generalized idea that the process of conditioning acquires all behaviors. The process occurs due to interaction with the environment, such that responses to the environmental stimuli could shape human actions. According to Pavlov, the study of behavior is systematic and can be observed differently despite the internal mental states. Based on this perspective, observable behaviors can be regarded as emotions, moods, and cognitions that are very subjective. Strict behaviorists are aware that an individual can undergo training to perform any duty. It does not consider any genetic background, internal thoughts, or personal traits.

Consequently, all are at the limit of physical capabilities and, therefore, only need the right conditioning. John Watson first developed behaviorism on psychology as the behaviorist regards it. Any individual can undergo training to behave in a particular manner based on the right conditioning. The behaviorism emerged as the main idea in the field of psychology. Many scholars view behavioral psychology as a desire to develop psychology as a science that is measurable and objective (Anthony et al., 2018). The scholars had an interest in developing theories that could clearly describe and be measured, but significantly contribute and influence people's daily lives.

Impact of Behaviorism

There are types of conditioning involved, classical conditioning, and operant conditioning. Classical conditioning behavioral technique is used in training a natural stimulus. Conversely, operant conditioning is a learning method that happens due to reinforcements and punishments. Behavioral psychology strengths comprise focusing on observable, measurable behaviors, scientific and replicable, useful for modifying behaviors, and it is used in the application in therapy, childcare, and parenting (Anthony et al., 2018). Learning can occur through associations, different factors influence classical conditioning, and learning occurs through rewards and punishments. Behaviorism modification is very significant in educational psychology; it is traced back to philosophy as a science. It maintains that psychology studies individual behaviors involved in environment interaction. Besides, the practices comprise of the total functioning of a person during the interaction with the environment. Also, the environment consists of functionality and conditions that are defined in various species where human beings' functions and development.

Criticism and Limitations of Behaviorism

Behaviorism theory has various limitations; these limitations are based on learning strategies, cognitive abilities, open-ended challenges, and continuing education. The limitations of behavioral approaches are based on different learning processes. Some factors range from genetics to human experience and learning procedures. Also, factors involved in making choices could differ from different people. Therefore, when students are trained on the behaviorism, it may end up failing or working for others. Challenges such as memorizing in the behavioralist approach may lead to students encountering different difficulties in measuring their success (Foxall, 2020). Also, behavioral theories can lead to problems in learning methods that tend to be cognitive to students rather than behavioral. Challenges such as writing and analysis, many scholars do not support the idea of a cognitive approach (Jung, 2019). The theory lacks an account of how the student's memories and experience are explained in the behaviorist perspective.

Merkl, P. H. (2017). "Behavioristic" Tendencies in American Political Science. In Behavioralism in political science pp. 141-152

The development of conditional theory by Pavlov is a coincidental compared with the development of American behaviorism. Besides, objective physiology, when substituted for subjective psychology, realized the rise behaviorism in America that is a confirmation of different methods and theory. However, in the early 1930s, Pavlov behaviorism theory proposed a concept of a cerebral organization, which is a centralist interpretation of conditional reflex, and instead, he offered a peripheral understanding (Merkl, 2017). Pavlov made different scientific discoveries in the process of learning. Similarly, Pavlov applied a bell as a stimulus and food as an unconditional stimulus. At the time of feeding dog, he could ring a bell, and the same procedure continued as he rang a bell without food to the dogs, and they could salivate. This procedure made him believe that ringing a bell could make dogs develop a stimulus.

References

Anthony, D. R., Gordon, S., Gucciardi, D. F., & Dawson, B. (2018). Adapting a behavioral coaching framework for mental toughness development. Journal of Sport Psychology in Action, 9(1), 32-50. https://doi.org/10.1080/21520704.2017.1323058

Foxall, G. (2020). Intentional Behaviorism: Philosophical Foundations of Economic Psychology. Academic Press.

Jung, I. (2019). Connectivism and Networked Learning. In Open and Distance Education Theory Revisited (pp. 47-55). Springer, Singapore.

Merkl, P. H. (2017). "Behavioristic" Tendencies in American Political Science. In Behavioralism in political science (pp. 141-152). Routledge.

Rossiianov, K., & Seay, N. (2017). Ivan Pavlov and the Moral Physiology of Self. Kritika: Explorations in Russian and Eurasian History, 18(1), 203-209. https://muse.jhu.edu/article/650077