Conditioned Reflexes: An Investigation of the Physiological Activity of the Cerebral Cortex

by Ivan Pavlov, G V Anrep (Translation)

2015 Reprint of 1927 Edition. Full facsimile of the original edition. Not reproduced with Optical Recognition Software. Pavlov's description on how animals (and humans) can be trained to respond in a certain way to a particular stimulus drew tremendous interest from the time he first presented his results. His work paved the way for a new, more objective method of studying behavior. The impact on Pavlov's work on all subsequent psychological thought has been overwhelming and the volume remains the best introduction to his contributions. Until this work appeared, Pavlov's findings were known only through individual monographs, most of which had appeared in hard-to-find periodicals published in Eastern Europe. In a series of lectures delivered in 1924, however, Pavlov reviewed his entire course of experiments, summarized his conclusions and outlined his psychological system. This book, which is an expanded version of these lectures, is still an important statement of Pavlov's work.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Science, Classics, Russia, Medicine, Historical

448 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1927

About the author

Ivan Petrovich Pavlov was a Russian physiologist, psychologist, and physician. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1904 for research pertaining to the digestive system. Pavlov is widely known for first describing the phenomenon of classical conditioning.

Reviews

[Donnally Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

In his discussions of his experiments, Pavlov mentions primarily using a bright light, a tone played on an organ, or a metronome set to a certain pulse to instill conditioned reflexes. Given the established story about using a bell while dogs were feeding I was bemused to read the following in Lecture IV: "In contradistinction to this we must state with regard to acoustic stimuli that very loud sounds such as the violent ringing of a bell did not, in comparison with weaker stimuli, quickly establish a conditioned reflex. It can be assumed that powerful acoustic stimuli call out some other important reaction in the body (e.g., motor), which hinders the development of the salivary response."

[Chrissy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant. Pavlov anticipated so much of what we now know to be true of the brain and behaviour.

[Julia Lich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting tidbit of history. Reading this book made me realize how little is remembered of his famous experiments - there are some fascinating and odd records in here. I did find the writing to often be a bit dull, but the content and the significance of this book really made up for it.