Pavlovian

[ pav-loh-vee-uhn, -law-, -lov-ee- ]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of Pavlov or his work, especially of experiments in which he elicited predictable responses from laboratory animals.

Pavlovian

/ pævˈləʊvɪən /

adjective

1. of or relating to the work of Ivan Pavlov
2. (of a reaction or response) automatic; involuntary

Word History and Origins

Origin of Pavlovian¹

First recorded in 1925–30; Pavlov + -ian

Example Sentences

Is the press merely operating in Pavlovian fashion, in the same manner they clean up grammar and usage according to the AP style manual?

From Salon

He seems to enjoy repeating the line because it elicits cheers from his audiences, who react as if in the grip of a Pavlovian reflex.

From Los Angeles Times

It’s like hearing the sizzle of fajitas being paraded through a dining room, creating a Pavlovian response.

From Seattle Times

"There is a French particularity which leads politicians - in an almost Pavlovian way - to look for a constitutional change each time they want to signal the importance they attach to an issue," Levade laments.

From BBC

It’s probably unwise to reach for too much meaning from an assemblage of Pavlovian internet clicks.

From Seattle Times