AVERSIVE STIMULUS

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does aversive stimulus mean? 

• AVERSIVE STIMULUS (noun)
  The noun AVERSIVE STIMULUS has 1 sense:

1. any negative stimulus to which an organism will learn to make a response that avoids it

  Familiarity information: AVERSIVE STIMULUS used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• AVERSIVE STIMULUS (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Any negative stimulus to which an organism will learn to make a response that avoids it

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Hypernyms ("aversive stimulus" is a kind of...):

negative stimulus (a stimulus with undesirable consequences)

 Context examples 

To map the brain circuitry between the BNST and the hypothalamus, Dr. William Giardino and colleagues at Stanford University exposed mice to rewarding and aversive stimuli, and then visualized and manipulated the activity of neurons using fiber optic techniques.

(Researchers identify key brain circuits for reward-seeking and avoidance behavior, National Institutes of Health)