Ivan Petrovich Pavlov (1849–1936) was a russian physiologist who pioneered the study of classical conditioning. Born in ryazan, russia, he initially began seminary studies, but then changed to st...

Ivan Petrovich Pavlov (1849–1936) was a russian physiologist who pioneered the study of classical conditioning. Born in ryazan, russia, he initially began seminary studies, but then changed to st Petersburg university, where he graduated in natural science, and subsequently received his doctorate in physiology from the Military Medical academy. after a few years spent in germany, he went on to become a professor at the Military Medical academy. his work on the physiology of digestion, begun in 1879, earned him the nobel Prize in 1904. he fi rst became aware of refl exes by reading sechenov’s work while still at seminary, but his own research on what became known as classical conditioning did not begin until about 1902. at this time, while still studying digestion in dogs, he noticed what he called ‘psychic salivation’ – a dog would salivate before it was actually given food. since Pavlov believed that digestion involved a series of refl exes, he set out to determine what controlled this anticipatory response. ultimately, his work on conditioning overshadowed the research which had earned him the nobel Prize. he continued to be intellectually active, forming a genetics institute only a few years before his death at the age of 87.