Analysis Of Ivan Pavlov's Drool By Michael Specter

860 Words2 Pages

The world of psychology is relatively young. However, when studying the impact it has had on the field of science, such work should never go unnoticed. There have been many subdivisions of psychology that have emerged over several years. From Functionalism to Psychoanalysis and so on, each contains prominent key figures that change the mindset of many people towards the importance of understanding the mind and action of humankind. Psychology of learning has introduced several renowned psychologists in the past centuries. In the article, Drool, by Michael Specter, he helps the reader enter the world behind the most distinguished figures of learning psychology, Ivan Pavlov, and the real motive behind the infamous dog salvation experiment. The …show more content…

Readers are informed that the research was never in the intentions of psychology but through Pavlov 's curiosity on the dog’s digestive system. By sham feeding, which actually means the removing of the esophagus to make an opening, the dog would eat but the food would never reach its stomach. According to Todes, the creation of more fistulas, the aberrant connections of organs, allowed Pavlov to obtain various secretions which helped him “measure their quantity and chemical properties in great detail,” With all honesty, the method that was used to obtain such facts was undoubtedly disturbing. However, the contributions that came along with it truly changed the way we study the mind, learning and human …show more content…

With such a steady growth, it has become very beneficial to the science community. The study of the mind, learning, and human behavior has shaped psychology in the way it is viewed today. The works of many prominent psychologists should never go unnoticed. The works of Ivan Pavlov truly revolutionized the study and method many psychologists undergo. According to Specter, classical conditioning has allowed not only understanding the actions of animals but the treatment of psychiatric disorders and phobias. The connection of psychology and physiology, which was one of Pavlov 's main goals, can be linked to the rise of psychology. The use of fMRIs in today 's medical treatments has allowed tremendous opportunities to study the neurons in the brain and how it affects behavior. He is without a doubt a very important

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