A - To investigate whether behaviour is
due to learning by association.
M - Pavlov implanted test tubes near the salivation
glands of his dogs. He showed them a piece of food
(UCS) and observed that they would salivate (UCR).
Pavlov then paired the showing of food with the ring
of a bell (NS).
R - The dogs, after Pavlov repeatedly paired the
meat (UCS) with the bell (NS), the bell on its own
(CS) would cause the dogs to salivate (CR).
C - Classical conditioning caused
the dogs to associate the bell with
salivation.
+ This study is reliable because it was
conducted in a laboratory environment.
+ This study has concurrent
validity as it is supported by the
Little Albert study by Watson &
Rayner.
- This study uses
dogs to investigate
behaviour and
therefore cannot be
extrapolated to
humans.
This study has low ecological validity
as it was conducted in a laboratory
environment.