The Pavlovian Model
The Pavlovian Model is a psychological model which has been developed to explain the relationships between stimulation, behavior and learning. It is based on the work conducted by the famous Russian physiologist, Ivan Pavlov. He is best remembered for his pioneering research on the role of conditioned reflexes in animal behavior. In his experiments, Pavlov would present a stimulus (food, for example) and then measure the amount of saliva produced in response. He found that when a stimulus was repeatedly presented prior to the presentation of the food, the animals saliva production increased in anticipation. This phenomenon is known as classical conditioning, and has been applied to understanding how individuals learn to make connections between various events and stimuli in their environment.
The Pavlovian Model suggests that classical conditioning is based upon the principles of association, repetition and stimulus-response. It proposes that an organism first learns to associate a certain stimulus (a bell, for example) with a certain response (salivation in response to the presentation of food). Once this association is established, the organism will then learn to respond to the stimulus (the bell) even in the absence of the response (food). This stimulus-response relationship is affected by the amount of repetition of the stimulus and the organisms ability to recognize the stimulus as it is repeatedly presented.
In addition to the classical conditioning aspect of Pavlovs model, the Pavlovian Model also incorporates the concept of habituation. This occurs when an organism no longer responds to a stimulus that has been repeatedly presented. This can manifest as a gradual decline in the strength of the response, or in the complete cessation of the response. The importance of this effect is primarily in the development of learning and memory in an organism.
The Pavlovian Model is an invaluable tool in understanding how organisms process different stimuli and conditions in an attempt to adapt to their environment. It provides insight into how patterns of behavior emerge through the processes of classical and operant conditioning, and how learning occurs as a result of reinforcement and punishment. It also helps to explain how habits and memories are formed through processes of association and habituation. This model has been incredibly influential in the development of modern psychology, and remains an important part of any students introduction to psychology.