Pavlov 1927 named study

Question 1

Pavlov 1927

Generalisability - (one dog)

Answer 1

The experiment had low generalisability due to it only consisting of a singular dog
and dogs and human brains are very different
therefore they’ve results of this singular dog cannot be representative to the entire population of all dogs due to possible individual difference (such as this dog being very obedient compared to others)
and it cannot be generalised to humans due to having large brain differences to dogs
Therefore this studies results but provide evidence supporting classical conditioning cannot be generalised to the entire dog population and the human population

Question 2

Pavlov 1927

+ test retest reliability

Answer 2

the study had a standardized

when placing food (unconditioned stimulus(blown meat powder)) the dog produced salivia (unconditioned response (collected via a tube))
Pavlov sounded a metronome as he gave the food (neutral stimulus) (conditioning)
after 20 times the metronome became a conditioned stimulus and when it sounded the dog produced salivia (conditioned response) without food

This was classical conditioning and due to this standardized procedure it is easier to repeat the study therefore giving it high-test retest reliability

Question 3

Pavlov 1927

aim
unrelated stimulus reflex response

Answer 3

to see if an unrelated stimulus (metronome sound) could trigger a reflex response (salivation) if it is associated with it

[To study how the cerebral cortex works in making associations and look for a mechanism linking reflexes to cerebral cortex]

Question 4

Pavlov 1927

• ethics

Answer 4

The study had very low ethics is the dog was kept in inhumane non-natural conditions that was distressing to the dog

Meat powder is not a viable source of food for dogs meaning Pavlov starved the dogs for no reason as it wasn’t part of the study

This breaches BPS animal guidelines (didn’t exist in 1927) therefore giving the study low ethics

Question 5

Pavlov 1927

internal validity +

Answer 5

The study had high internal validity due to being very controlled in a lab experiment
Pavlov heavily limited the extraneous variables
for example:
He reduced the extraneous variable of noise and vibrations by having Steel griders supporting the floor which were embedded in sand and a deep mode filled with straw in circled the entire building.

This meant that there were limited extraneous variables that could have affected the results (evidence to support classical conditioning) of the study and therefore giving it high internal validity

Question 6

Pavlov 1927

conclusion + aplication

Answer 6

pavlov concluded that it was signalisation in the brain that links the metronome to food and thus give us the reflex response of salivation, this also gave evidence to support classical conditioning.

Aplication: this studies results could be used to explain why people have irrational fears of objects
for example somebody could have choked (Unconditioned stimulus) on a small toy (neutral stimulus) when they were younger which then produced a fear response (unconditioned response)
but also that fear response then became associated with the toy (conditioned stimulus) so then the fear response (conditioned response) becomes present whenever the person sees a similar toy

meaning the studys results could be used to explain irrational fears