PAVLOVS CONDITIONING
Scientist Pavlov made history by his experiments on Conditioned Reflexes. Today we understand
well that Conditioning plays a major role in behavior.
Pavlov fed a dog milk and rang a bell every time the milk was brought. He collected
the dogs salivary and digestive juices. After conditioning the dog several times, he proved that the dog would secrete saliva
and digestive juice even without the food, just when the bell was rung.
(A popular joke on this experiment suggests this - What probably Pavlov did not understand
was that the dog conditioned him to give food by intentionally secreting salivary juice!)
We
humans are all subject to the conditionings of the past. Our previous experiences dictate our present response to any happening.
Like for instance when most of us see a snake, we assume it will bite us. The result of movies, stories and past grapevine.
We
tend to predict how others will respond or behave depending upon our biased ideas. We behave in a particular fashion based
on peer pressure and society.
Like
for instance most individuals in society exhibit herd behavior. They all live by similar patterns – Education, Career,
Marriage, Childbirth and Retirement. All this is done without individual contemplation or suitability.
In
order to live fully, we need to introspect. The truth of the herd may not necessarily be each mans truth.
