The life and times of Ivan Pavlov

Iván Pávlov chose theology as his first academic option because of his upbringing. He decided to follow religious doctrines to meet his father’s wishes and expectations, who wanted him to maintain the family’s orthodox traditions. At the acclaimed Saint Petersburg University, Pavlov studied medicine after studying theology for a couple of years.

In the Russian capital, Pavlov fell even more in love with his professional career. Around 1870, Russia was experiencing a notable academic boom, and medicine was a cause for celebration. By 1875, Ivan Pavlov had graduated from the university with honors and began his specialization in physiology at the Russian Imperial Academy of Medical Surgery.

The physiology of stimuli and Ivan Pavlov

As a physician, Ivan Pavlov became fascinated with physiology early on in his career. Russians have always been fascinated by the gastric system. His early studies on dogs revealed that the gastric system is intrinsically linked to the nervous system and brain glands.

THESE ARE CURIOUS FACTS

Biology and medicine combine in physiology, which studies the main functions and mechanisms of living things. Human physiology has evolved into endocrinology, neuroscience, and immunology. This is also considered to be one of the most comprehensive medical practices in the field of medicine.

According to Pávlov’s research, saliva production occurs as a result of brain stimulation in response to food need. As a result, classical conditioning or Pavlovian conditioning was developed, which is based on the link between external stimuli and biological responses.

Approaches to other investigations

Because Iván Pávlov’s studies did not only focus on physiology, but also investigated brain wiring, his research in psychology was also diminished. Hence, the Pavlovian model was born, where the Russian explored how stimuli can be present in all aspects of human life. This thought led to the development of behavioral psychology.

Back then, the studies that dominated psychological research were those of Sigmund Freud, who applied psychoanalysis to cognitive and conversational therapies. Pavlov’s postulates, which returned to experimentation, were harshly criticized and considered purely empirical as a result.

He has been involved in controversy over his studies

Pavlov also developed important studies on personalities in psychology. As a result, the Russian described them in four ways: strong and unbalanced; strong, balanced and slow; strong, balanced and impulsive; and finally, weak. Despite being well-founded, Pavlov’s investigations showed a somewhat irrational and non-universal profile despite being well-founded.

The experimental phase of Pávlov’s research remained in psychology, but his life was dedicated to physiology. In 1904, Pávlov received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his studies on the gastric system and salivary glands, a distinction which marked a milestone not only in his life, but also in the history of Russia, since he was the first Russian to receive such an honor.