Pavlov's Dog

A digital version of an analog simulator of Pavlov's famous dog experiments!

This program can be used to train behavioral scientists in basic research methods and analysis of data.

The original experiments this software program replicates were conducted by Russian physiologist I. P. Pavlov in the early 1900s. Pavlov trained dogs to salivate when a tone or light was generated, and measured the response in drops of saliva.

Around 1962 the main programmer's father, Dr. Howard S. Hoffman (1925 - 2006), created a simulation of Pavlov's equipment, minus the dogs. In their place were capacitors, resistors, and an ammeter. Dr. Hoffman used his "Analogue Lab" device for many years in his statistics and psychology classes. The device was conceived and developed in the course of a program of research supported by the National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH) grant #2433, and from a grant from the Pennsylvania State University Central Fund for research.

This simulation of the Analogue Lab replicates all of the functionality of the original device, using standard equations for filling and discharging simulated capacitors through simulated resistors, ammeters, switches, wires, etc.. Data is output via the ammeter, and is also available on a simulated paper strip chart, and also output to a data file which can be used to do statistical analysis of the data.

This program also includes a visual display of the original circuitry and a series of images showing how the original "Analogue Lab" results compared to a number of experiments done with real animals and humans. In extensive testing, results with the Digital version have been very similar to the original Analogue Lab.