How did Ivan Pavlov’s work differ from B.F. Skinner’s operant conditioning experiments?

Ivan Pavlov’s work, known as classical conditioning, differs fundamentally from B.F. Skinner’s operant conditioning in the nature of the behaviors and the role of the subject.12

• Nature of Response: Pavlovian conditioning involves involuntary, reflexive responses (such as salivation) triggered by a biological stimulus. In contrast, Skinner’s operant conditioning involves voluntary behaviors—actions the animal chooses to perform to achieve a result.1
• Mechanism: In Pavlov’s experiments, a neutral stimulus (like a bell) is paired with an unconditioned stimulus (food) until the subject associates the two, causing the neutral stimulus to elicit the reflex. Skinner’s approach focuses on consequences; the subject learns to perform a specific behavior (like pressing a lever) because that action is followed by a reward or the avoidance of punishment.321
• Role of the Subject: While Pavlov’s subjects were passive recipients of stimuli, Skinner’s subjects were active participants who had to execute a predesignated act to obtain a reinforcement.32

Ultimately, Pavlov demonstrated how organisms learn to associate signals with biological events, whereas Skinner demonstrated how organisms are guided by the consequences of their own voluntary actions.12