Aversive Therapy

Aversive control is a method for changing or controlling unwanted behavior. In the clinical setting this is referred to as aversive therapy. With aversive control, behavior is changed or controlled with the implementation of certain operant conditioning and classical conditioning techniques that include the use of an aversive stimulus, one that is unpleasant or painful. In the case of operant conditioning, this could include controlling behavior with the removal of a pleasant stimulus or the presentation of an unpleasant or painful stimulus. Techniques that exemplify these operant conditioning approaches are timeout and delivery of electric shock. Examples of techniques that involve classical conditioning implemented aversive control involve pairing an unpleasant or noxious stimulus with a neutral or pleasant stimulus. Examples include pairing the taste of ...