And some of us still teach it that way:
a reflex that's conditional upon being paired with an unconditional
reflex (whose only precondition is genetic).
On Jan 19, 2009, at 12:58 PM, [email protected] wrote:
On 19 Jan 2009 at 13:36, Wuensch, Karl L wrote:
Russ never responded to my query. I am hoping that one of
you Tipsters can point me to the citation below or an equivalent
reference [on the conditioned vs conditional translation issue]
Think I got one. It's Daniel Todes, a well-known Pavlov authority (he
would have to be, wouldn't he?)
From the abstract:
"The intellectual terms of Pavlov's transition are evident
in the phrase he chose to replace "psychic secretion"--
"uslovnyi refleks. "This term is commonly translated into
English as "conditioned reflex, "but its original meaning
for Pavlov is better translated as "conditional reflex."
And see also p. 952 where he begins:
"The conceptual dynamics of Pavlov's transition can be
appreciated by considering the term that he chose to replace
"psychic secretion"--"uslovnyi refleks," which
has become known to English speakers as "conditioned
reflex." The Russian phrase, however, can be translated
as either "conditioned reflex" or "conditional reflex."
The latter is much closer to Pavlov's original meaning."
[there's more there on the topic]
Todes, D. (1997). From the machine to the ghost within: Pavlov's
transition from digestive physiology to conditional reflexes. American
Psychologist, 52(9). 947-955
Paul Brandon
Emeritus Professor of Psychology
Minnesota State University, Mankato
[email protected]
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