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Pavlovian reactions aren't just for dogs - Benjamin N. Witts

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TEDEd Animation

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Dr. Ivan Pavlov’s groundbreaking work revealed that a dog will respond to neutral stimuli, such as a bell, in the same way that it will respond to, say, mouth-watering food. This research is widely applicable beyond a dog’s salivation. Benjamin N. Witts sketches a few situations in which people are conditioned to react in a Pavlovian way, from dating to parenting.

Who is credited with identifying that neutral stimuli, like a bell, can produce reflexive responses when paired with stimuli that elicit those reflexes?

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Meet The Creators

  • Director Adam Taylor
  • Educator Benjamin N. Witts
  • Narrator Benjamin N. Witts

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