Pavlov’s initial interest in classical conditioning was stimulated, when he observed his research dogs salivating at the sight of

Pavlov’s initial interest in classical conditioning was stimulated, when he observed his research dogs salivating at the sight of Correct Answer The attendants

Learning has been defined as a relatively permanent change in behavior that occurs as a result of practice/experience. Learning is central to our behavior as we learn to speak, write, think and perceive. 

Key PointsClassical Conditioning: This is the simplest form of conditioning, described by Pavlov, a Russian Physiologist. Conditioning is a term used to describe the process by which a neutral stimulus gains the power to elicit a specific conditioned response.

• This is explained through the experiments done by Pavlov.
• He associated the presentation of food to the dog with another stimulus as the sound of the bell.
• After giving some trials in which the bell preceded the presentation of food, the dog started salivating at the sound of the bell. 
  • Food: Unconditioned stimulus (UCS)
  • Salivation elicited for food: Unconditioned Response (UR)
  • Sound of bell: Conditioned stimulus (CS)
  • Salivation to the bell: Response (CR)

Important Points

• Based on his observations, Pavlov suggested that salivation was a learned response.
• The attendants used to come to feed the dog, hence the dog associated the sight of the attendants to food and it became a learned response of salivation.
• Pavlov's Interest was stimulated when he observed dogs were responding to the sight of the research attendants, which the animals had come to associate with the presentation of food.
• Unlike the salivary response to the presentation of food, which is an unconditioned reflex, salivating to the expectation of food is a conditioned reflex.

Thus, it is concluded that Pavlov’s initial interest in classical conditioning was stimulated, when he observed his research dogs salivating at the sight of the attendants.