aversion therapy n therapy intended to suppress an undesirable habit or behavior (as smoking or overeating) by associating the habit or behavior with a noxious or punishing stimulus (as an electric shock)
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a form of behaviour therapy that is used to reduce the occurrence of undesirable behaviour, such as sexual deviations or drug addiction. conditioning is used, with repeated pairing of some unpleasant stimulus with a stimulus related to the undesirable behaviour. An example is pairing the taste of beer with electric shock in the treatment of alcoholism. Aversion therapy is little used nowadays. See also sensitization.
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aversive therapy a form of behavior therapy using aversive conditioning, pairing undesirable behavior or symptoms with unpleasant stimulation in order to reduce or eliminate the behavior or symptoms. The term is sometimes used synonymously with aversive conditioning.Medical dictionary. 2011.