The Importance of Dogs in Psychology Research - 917 Words

â€Å"My bachelor thesis is concerned with the development, testing and evaluation of a reliable method for performing eye-tracking with dogs.† Giving this precise reply to people asking me about my thesis generally caused quite a stir. In the following introduction, I am going to explain why dogs are subjects of interest to a psychology student and why I believe that eye-tracking technology will be a major part of dog research soon. Dogs in research Without batting an eye, most people acknowledge that comparative research is conducted with non-human primates. Yet, these people raise their eyebrows when they hear that the very same is done with dogs. It has become common knowledge that our closest relatives stem from the species of the Great Apes (Prà ¼fer et al., 2012). This, however, mainly refers to genetic material, while we differ significantly in our choice of habitat. The dog may not be such a close genetic relative, but instead has lived in cohabitation with humans for thousands of years. Though the degree the environment influences an individual is something that is often argued about, most scientists agree that the environment plays an important role in an individual’s development, e.g. personality development (Asendorpf, 2004). Pet dogs generally share the environment with their owners and spend a fair amount of time in close social interaction with them. Often, similar behavior can be seen in owners and their dogs, and a study by Roy and Christenfeld (2004) evenShow MoreRelatedThe Theory Of Classical Conditioning1419 Words   |  6 Pagesbefore Ivan Pavlov named the process of conditioning, his work was considered ahead of his time (Feeser, 2002, p. 24). In fact, Pavlov was presented the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Nero Medicine for his research on the digestion system of dogs (Feeser, 2002, p. 24). To further his digestion research, Pavlov devised a procedure for surgical procedure implanting a tube, called a fistula, into animals that were still living. This allowed Pavlov to collect digestive secretions, and measure them, suchRead MoreThe Theory Of Classical Conditioning1448 Words   |  6 Pagesbefore Ivan Pavlov named the process of conditioning, his work was considered ahead of his time (Feeser, 2002, p. 24). In fact, Pavlov was presented a Nobel Prize in Physiology and Nero Medicine for his research on the digestion system of dogs (Feeser, 2002, p. 24). To further his digesti on research, Pavlov devised a medical procedure for implanting a tube, called a fistula, into animals that were still alive. This allowed Pavlov to collect digestive secretions, and measure them, such as those secretedRead More Empiricism and Behaviorism Essay1384 Words   |  6 Pagesthe twentieth century, the field of Psychology found itself in a war between two contending theoretical perspectives: Gestalt psychology versus Behaviorism. With its roots within the United States, behaviorists in America were developing a theory that believed psychology should not be concerned with the mind or with human consciousness. Instead, behavior and the actions of humans would be the foremost concern of psychologists. Across the Atlantic, Gestalt psychology emerged by placing its criticismRead MorePsychology : Psychology And Psychology1267 Words   |  6 PagesPaper What is psychology? What impact does psychology have on the world? What does it mean to be a psychologist? These are three important questions that will be investigated throughout this paper. Psychology is the scientific study of the human mind and behavior. Psychology influences many behaviors in the world without anyone noticing. Watson is interested in behaviorism. This means he was interested in the behavior of people and how they act and react. Through his article, Psychology as the BehavioristRead MoreThe Relationship Between Learning and Cognition854 Words   |  3 PagesLearning is a very important subject in psychology. In order to fully understand how learning takes place in the mind it’s vital that one is able to comprehend the how behavior and learning goes hand in hand. Instrumental and classical conditionings are both learning styles that describe the modification of behavior. The relationships with these traits are needed in order to understand the correlation cognition and learning process. This paper will define the learning process, review the roleRead MoreThe Key Assumptions Of The Behaviourist School Of Thought1452 Words   |  6 PagesThe key assumptions of the behaviourist school of thought stems from the perception of psychology as a science, thus, it is believed that resear ches should be supported by empirical data that are collected through methodological and controlled observation and measurement of behaviour. Watson (1913) was of the opinion that behaviourist psychology should be the objective experimental branch of natural science. In this sense, behaviourist approach is interested in observable behaviour which is in contrastRead MorePsychodynamic Approach Within Psychoanalysis ( A Human Behavior Theory ) Essay1674 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction to psychology TASK 1 Psychodynamic is an approach within psychoanalysis (a human behaviour theory) which was found by Sigmund Freud. He believed that the unconscious mind which was developed primarily from childhood experiences is what drives our behaviour. Freud thought of the human mind as though it was an iceberg the conscious mind (which you’re in control of) as the tip, and the unconscious mind (which you have no control over) as the larger part of the iceberg. This led to him believingRead MoreThe Scientific Study Of Behavior And Mental Processes1289 Words   |  6 PagesThis assessment essay will cover the four major schools , its development of it , key features that characterise each of the four schools of thought, the historical context and an evalution. The Psychodynamic approach includes all the theories in psychology that see human functioning based up on the interaction of drives and forces within, the person , partly unconscious , and the between the different structures of the personality. Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) is believed to the founding fathers of thisRead MoreThe Natural Alien, By William James991 Words   |  4 Pagescategories we place them under. Upon more research on Ivan Pavlov’s dog, it turns out that he did this research during a phase of psychology would only deem something as correct based on what they observed based on a reaction in the terms of behavior. The consensus that came from the experiment on the dog was that it would salivate to the sound of a bell because it meant food to the dog. This experiment objectifies the dog because it dictates that the dog only responds to the bell because it meansRead MoreThe Psychological Approaches Of Psychology885 Words   |  4 PagesThere are different psychological approaches in psychology. I mentioned these in great detail in my previous assignment; I will now discuss the different psychological approaches to health practice. The psychological approaches are; Behaviourist, Psychodynamic, Humanistic . The behaviourist theory is all about teaching behaviour whether it is appropriate of not when you can see the changes in behaviour is when you know it has worked. The behavioural learning technique is the result of conditioning