Aversive Control and Choice: Key Concepts and Applications in Psychology

Aversive control

Use of aversive stimuli to change behavior; organisms work to escape, evade, or avoid these stimuli. (Tag: AversiveControl)

Aversive stimulus (primary)

An unconditioned stimulus that is inherently aversive (e.g., pain, fire). (Tag: AversiveControl)

Aversive stimulus (conditioned)

A stimulus that becomes aversive through learning (e.g., doctor's office associated with pain). (Tag: AversiveControl)

Positive punishment

Adding an aversive stimulus contingent on a response to decrease that response. (Tag: AversiveControl)

Negative punishment

Removing a positive reinforcer contingent on a response to decrease that response. (Tag: AversiveControl)

Punisher

Any stimulus/event that decreases the future rate of the behavior that produces it. (Tag: AversiveControl)

Escape learning

A response that removes an aversive stimulus while it is present (e.g., taking ibuprofen to stop a headache). (Tag: AversiveControl)

Avoidance learning

A response that prevents an aversive stimulus before it occurs (e.g., studying early to avoid failing). (Tag: AversiveControl)

Discriminated avoidance

Avoidance with a warning stimulus (SD) signaling the upcoming aversive event. (Tag: AversiveControl)

Sidman (nondiscriminated) avoidance

Avoidance without a warning stimulus; aversive events occur unless the subject responds. (Tag: AversiveControl)

Avoidance paradox

Avoidance persists because the organism rarely experiences the aversive event, preventing extinction. (Tag: AversiveControl)

Timeout

Negative punishment procedure removing access to reinforcement temporarily. (Tag: AversiveControl)

Response cost

Negative punishment procedure removing a conditioned reinforcer (e.g., tokens, money). (Tag: AversiveControl)

Commitment Resopnse

An action carried out at an early point in time that serves to eliminate or reduce the value of an upcoming temptation

Premack Principle (punishment relation)

High‑probability behaviors can reinforce low‑probability ones; restricting them can function as punishment. (Tag: AversiveControl)

Learned helplessness

Failure to escape after uncontrollable aversive exposure; organism stops trying even when escape is possible. (Tag: SideEffects)

Experimental neurosis

Neurotic‑like symptoms from unpredictable or difficult discriminations. (Tag: SideEffects)

Aggression (side effect)

Aversive stimulation can elicit reflexive or retaliatory aggression. (Tag: SideEffects)

Social disruption

The punishing person or setting becomes aversive, leading to avoidance. (Tag: SideEffects)

General suppression

Aversive contexts suppress many behaviors, including desirable ones. (Tag: SideEffects)

Choice

Distribution of operant behavior among available reinforcement sources. (Tag: Choice)

Preference

A reinforcer selected more frequently than alternatives. (Tag: Choice)

Concurrent schedules paradigm

Two or more schedules available simultaneously to study choice. (Tag: Choice)

Changeover delay (COD)

A brief delay after switching alternatives that prevents rapid alternation. (Tag: Choice)

Alternation

Switching between alternatives on a concurrent schedule. (Tag: Choice)

Best schedule for studying choice

VI/VI with variable intervals and a COD to reveal sensitivity to reinforcement rates. (Tag: Choice)

Matching law (strict)

Relative response rates match relative reinforcement rates. (Tag: Matching)

Generalized matching law

Adds bias and sensitivity parameters to strict matching. (Tag: Matching)

Bias

Preference for one alternative independent of reinforcement rates. (Tag: Matching)

Sensitivity

Degree to which response ratios track reinforcement ratios. (Tag: Matching)

Undermatching

Response ratios change less than reinforcement ratios; common. (Tag: Matching)

Overmatching

Response ratios change more than reinforcement ratios; less common. (Tag: Matching)

Example matching calculation

VI10 vs VI30 predicts 75% responses to VI10 and 25% to VI30. (Tag: Matching)

Delay discounting

Devaluation of a reinforcer as delay increases. (Tag: DelayDiscounting)

Hyperbolic discounting (Mazur)

V=A/(1+k·d); models preference reversals. (Tag: DelayDiscounting)

Exponential vs hyperbolic

Exponential = constant discounting; hyperbolic = decreasing discounting and better fits behavior. (Tag: DelayDiscounting)

Ainslie-Rachlin principle

Value decreases hyperbolically with delay, producing preference reversals. (Tag: DelayDiscounting)

Impulsivity

Choosing a smaller‑sooner reward. (Tag: DelayDiscounting)

Self‑control

Choosing a larger‑later reward. (Tag: DelayDiscounting)

Simple ambivalence

Choice between two concrete alternatives; commitment works. (Tag: Ambivalence)

Complex ambivalence

Choice between a specific act and an abstract long‑term pattern; commitment less effective. (Tag: Ambivalence)

Essay cue: shock collar

Identify two side effects of aversive control and three ways to increase punishment effectiveness. (Tag: EssayPrep)

Essay cue: escape vs avoidance

Define, differentiate, give examples, and label SD, R, SR. (Tag: EssayPrep)

Essay cue: matching experiment

Design VI/VI schedules with one twice as dense; include COD and expected response distribution. (Tag: EssayPrep)