Which experiment is associated with early behaviorist ideas?

• A. Pavlov's salivating dogs
• B. Skinner's box
• C. Milgram's obedience study
• D. Asch conformity experiments

Answer: (A)

Early behaviorism centers on observable behavior and learning through stimulus–response associations. Pavlov's salivating dogs embodies this approach: a neutral stimulus (the bell) becomes associated with an unconditioned stimulus (food) and eventually elicits salivation on its own. This illustrates classical conditioning, a foundational idea in early behaviorism that focuses on measurable changes in behavior driven by external stimuli, without invoking thoughts or emotions. Skinner's box, by contrast, showcases operant conditioning, a later development within behaviorism that emphasizes how consequences shape behavior. Milgram's obedience study and Asch's conformity experiments explore social influence rather than learning through conditioning. So Pavlov's work best exemplifies early behaviorist ideas because it highlights the basic stimulus–response learning that early behaviorists emphasized.