Target issue: Comparative Cognition & Behavior Reviews, vol. 22, 2027
Due date for authors: Friday, October 23, 2026
In 1927, the physiologist Ivan Pavlov published Conditioned Reflexes: An Investigation of the Physiological Activity of the Cerebral Cortex. This work has proven to be his most enduring contribution to behavioral science and to the broader culture. Pavlov did not “discover” classical conditioning but may be said to be the first to take it seriously. A disciplined experimentalist, he painstakingly investigated the role of stimulus relations in the production of the “psychic secretions” of his dogs. Many of the animal learning literature’s paradigmatic effects (e.g., excitation, inhibition, overshadowing) were first described by Pavlov.
The editors of Comparative Cognition & Behavior Reviews (CCBR) are interested in brief commentaries from researchers in recognition of the centennial of this landmark volume. Relevant questions for prospective authors include, but are not limited to: What is the state of the science of Pavlovian conditioning, and how does it relate to other fields of inquiry? How is the study of classical conditioning relevant to broader matters of adaptive behavior? What are current problems in the field that must be addressed? Are there relevant but obscure historical details that deserve greater attention from the field? And so on.
Commentaries should be brief—fewer than 2500 words—and will be subject to usual standards of peer-review and editorial approval. Accepted commentaries will be packaged together for publication in 2027 as a special volume of CCBR.
This call is open to everyone working in the field of comparative cognition and related disciplines, broadly defined.
Manuscripts should be formatted in APA style (7th ed.) in Word, and should be submitted via email to the editors, as should any questions or concerns:
Dave Brodbeck (dave.brodbeck@algomau.ca)
Dave Stahlman (wdstahlm@umw.edu)
We look forward to reading your work!
Best,
Dave Stahlman
CCBR Editor
Department of Psychological Science
University of Mary Washington
Dave Brodbeck
CCBR Editor
Department of Psychology
Algoma University