In the 1890s, Ivan Pavlov famously discovered that dogs could be trained to salivate at the sound of a bell if it was repeatedly associated with food. This is known as Classical Conditioning.
But this isn't just about dogs. In the 21st century, we are the subjects, and our smartphones are the bells.
The Bell in Your Pocket
Think about what happens when you hear a notification sound.
- The Stimulus: The "Ping!" sound.
- The Response: An immediate urge to check the phone, a spike in dopamine, and a feeling of anticipation.
Just like Pavlov's dogs didn't need to see the food to salivate, we don't need to know who messaged us to feel the urge. The sound itself triggers the chemical reaction in our brains.
Conditioning in Marketing
Marketers use this principle masterfully:
Brand Association: Why does Coca-Cola always show happy people, parties, and polar bears? They want to condition you to feel "happiness" (Response) whenever you see their Red Logo (Stimulus).
How to Retrain Your Brain
If conditioning can train us into bad habits, it can also train us out of them.
- Break the Association: Change your notification sound or turn them off. If the bell doesn't ring, the reflex weakens (Extinction).
- Create New Anchors: Train yourself to do a healthy habit (like drinking water) every time a specific cue happens (like standing up from your desk).
We are not helpless biological machines. By understanding the mechanism of conditioning, we can choose which bells we answer to.