The concept of Pavlov's dog originates from the famous classical conditioning experiment conducted by Russian psychologist Ivan Pavlov in the early 1900s. In his study, Pavlov explored how dogs could be conditioned to associate a neutral stimulus with an automatic response.

The experiment’s setup was simple: Pavlov presented a dog with food, which naturally triggered a salivation response. He then paired the presentation of food with a neutral stimulus, such as the sound of a bell. After several repetitions, the dog began to salivate at the sound of the bell alone, even when no food was offered. This phenomenon is known as classical conditioning.

The key takeaway is that the bell (a previously neutral stimulus) became a conditioned stimulus, capable of eliciting salivation (a conditioned response) after being paired with food (an unconditioned stimulus that naturally triggered salivation). The experiment demonstrated how associating two stimuli can produce a learned response.

In short, Pavlov’s work revealed how behaviors could be conditioned through association—a foundational concept in behaviorism.

Fast forward to the present: For over 25 years, football fans at the University of Wisconsin in Madison have celebrated with the song “Jump Around” during games. The song ignites excitement, energizes the crowd, and turns Camp Randall Stadium into a shaking, deafening fortress. For opposing teams, the atmosphere feels like an earthquake about to strike.

Dan Lanning, head coach of the University of Oregon, understood the song’s power as a motivational and momentum-building tool for the Badgers. To prepare his team, he borrowed inspiration from both Pavlov and Roman philosophy. He referenced a famous quote from Marcus Aurelius: “What stands in the way becomes the way.”

Two weeks ago, Lanning taught his players about Pavlov’s dog and how a conditioned stimulus can trigger a powerful reaction. He then showed them videos of the frenzy at Camp Randall when “Jump Around” begins. But instead of letting the song intimidate his team, Lanning flipped the script. He wanted his players to use the song as their own motivator.

Every day leading up to the game, Lanning played “Jump Around” during practice, conditioning his team to react with the same energy and intensity they would need on Saturday night. When the game arrived, the Oregon players had their own celebration during the song. Instead of being daunted by the Badgers’ tradition, they embraced the moment, raising their focus and fueling their performance in a comeback victory.

We can all take a page from Lanning’s playbook. By creating a conditioned stimulus in our own lives, we can pair neutral cues with desired behaviors or responses. Here are some practical examples:

As Marcus Aurelius reminds us: If something stands in our way, let’s make it the way.

Thanks, Coach.

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