Ever heard the term "Pavlov’s dogs" thrown around? It’s shorthand for how we humans (and dogs) can be trained to respond to certain cues. Ivan Pavlov, a Russian physiologist, stumbled upon this phenomenon when he realized his dogs drooled at the sound of a bell, expecting food to follow. Thus, classical conditioning, or Pavlovian conditioning, was born, reshaping how we understand learning and giving rise to behavioral psychology. Who knew a dog’s dinner could teach us so much?
Click through the gallery to explore the science behind Pavlov's experiments.