Pavlok 3, a somewhat sadistic gadget

Do you have a bad habit that you just can’t get rid of? The Pavlok 3 drills you like a Pavlov’s dog.

Pavlok 3, a Skinnerian horse drug

You should probably be in despair if you choose the Pavlok. Some users swear by it, others loathe it. The Pavlok 3 (€ 190 plus optional subscription) is now the third edition of a kind of electronic wristband, which gives a shock every time you surrender to bad habits. In that respect, the Pavlock 3 is somewhat similar to the friendlier, vibrating, awareable NoWatch.

The Pavlok 3 was inspired by the famous experiment of Russian ethologist Ivan Pavlov, who conditioned dogs to salivate when they heard a bell.

The Pavlok 3, you already understand, is just pure behavioral training. No humanistic psychology or hours of psychotherapeutic sessions on the psychologist’s couch about your childhood trauma, when that mean boy next door took your lollipop. No, just hard-hitting Skinnerian conditioning, more precisely, the controversial aversion therapy. An electric shock when you reach for the cigarettes or open the refrigerator door. That will teach you, greedy creature. So far the theory. But does it work?

How do you operate the Pavlok 3?

The actual brain of the device is the Pavlok app on your smartphone. The Pavlok 3 itself is quite simple, which explains why you can use a full battery for seven to ten days. So the first thing you have to do after unboxing is to install the app on your smartphone and link it to your new acquisition. It also asks for your contact details.

Then you choose your bad habit that you want to get rid of. For example, the motion sensor detects when you bring your hand to your mouth to bite your nails and then gives an electric shock. For more tender-hearted people, there are also vibrations or a sound.

Teach good habits

The Pavlok 3 can do more than just punish bad habits with a shock. It can also encourage good habits, for example going for a walk, finally starting that annoying chore, or starting to practice mindfulness.

But in the end it all depends on the user whether this remarkable gadget actually does what it promises. If you are good, then it will be all right.