Page "Learning theory (education)" Paragraph 6

Pavlov was interested in studying reflexes, when he saw that the dogs drooled without the proper stimulus.

Although no food was in sight, their saliva still dribbled.

It turned out that the dogs were reacting to lab coats.

Every time the dogs were served food, the person who served the food was wearing a lab coat.

Therefore, the dogs reacted as if food was on its way whenever they saw a lab coat. In a series of experiments, Pavlov then tried to figure out how these phenomena were linked.

For example, he struck a bell when the dogs were fed.

If the bell was sounded in close association with their meal, the dogs learned to associate the sound of the bell with food.

After a while, at the mere sound of the bell, they responded by drooling.

Pavlov's work laid the foundation for many of psychologist John B. Watson's ideas.

Watson and Pavlov shared both a disdain for " mentalistic " concepts ( such as consciousness ) and a belief that the basic laws of learning were the same for all animals whether dogs or humans.