Pavlov (1927): Experiment with salivation in dogs

Question 1

Aim:

Answer 1

• how cerebral cortex works in making association
• discover a mechanism linking reflexes to cerebral cortex
• explain role of CR in eating behaviour of dogs
• explore UCR linked to (unrelated to food) NS = CS/CR

Question 2

(Method) Procedure:

• think step-by-step

Answer 2

• restrained in harness in a cubicle
• isolated from all distractions
• diff experiment observe through 1 way mirror
• remote control present food to dog + other CS
• tube to collect saliva (around neck of dog)
• container where it was measured
• windows = extra thick sheets of glass
• each room = double steel doors (sealed when closed)
• steel girders embedded in sand
• deep moat circled with straw = vibration, noise, temperature extremes, odours, drafts was eliminated
• isolated in room = not possible to hear footsteps
• adjacent room = slide food + blow meat powder (dog’s mount)
• used many NS for pairing to UCS e.g. bell, buzzer, metronome

Question 3

How did it work:

Answer 3

Metronome study:

• before placing food on dog’s mouth, sounded the metronome
• needed 20 or more trials for the NS to be the CS
• then tone alone elicit salivation

Before Conditioning:
metronome (NS) —> no response
food (UCS) —> salivation (UCR)

During Conditioning:
metronome (NS) + food (UCS) —> food (UCR)

After Conditioning:
metronome (CS) —> salivation (CR)

Question 4

Results:

Answer 4

• Metronome study: salivation started after 9 seconds and by 45 seconds = 11 drops collected
• only salivate when NS/CS presented before UCS, not if it came after
• dog needs to be on alert + no other stimulus present to distract or affect the acquired learning
• discovered higher order conditioning was possible
• discovered in dogs, generalisation and discrimination is possible

Question 5

Conclusion + Application:

Answer 5

From Metronome study:

• conditioning was sensitive towards many extraneous variable + individual differences
  e. g. same experiment on 2 dogs but opposite effects occurred
• therapies was developed such as aversion therapy to treat addiction, where the addict associates the addiction with an unpleasant response