aversive stimulus

stimulus /stim·u·lus/ (stim´u-lus) pl. stim´uli   [L.] any agent, act, or influence which produces functional or trophic reaction in a receptor or an irritable tissue.

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adequate stimulus  a stimulus of the specific form of energy to which a given receptor is sensitive.

aversive stimulus  one which, when applied following the occurrence of a response, decreases the strength of that response on later occurrences.

conditioned stimulus  a stimulus that acquires the capacity to evoke a particular response on repeated pairing with another stimulus naturally capable of eliciting the response.

discriminative stimulus  a stimulus, associated with reinforcement, that exerts control over a particular form of behavior; the subject discriminates between closely related stimuli and responds positively only in the presence of that stimulus.

eliciting stimulus  any stimulus, conditioned or unconditioned, that elicits a response.

heterologous stimulus  one that produces an effect or sensation when applied to any part of a nerve tract.

homologous stimulus  adequate s.

threshold stimulus  a stimulus that is just strong enough to elicit a response.

unconditioned stimulus  any stimulus naturally capable of eliciting a specific response.

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aversive stimulus

[əvur′siv]

an undesirable stimulus, such as electric shock, that causes psychic or physical pain. See also aversion therapy.