counterconditioning

English

Etymology

From counter- +‎ conditioning.

Noun

counterconditioning (uncountable)

1. (psychology) A form of conditioning in which a negative response to a stimulus is replaced by a positive one.
   • [2015, Ilona Rodan, Sarah Heath, editors, Feline Behavioral Health and Welfare, Elsevier Health Sciences, →ISBN, page 43:

     This is called classic counterconditioning because it involves countering the association that was previously classically conditioned.]

   • 2015, chapter 13, in Emily Weiss, Heather Mohan-Gibbons, Stephen Zawistowski, editors, Animal Behavior for Shelter Veterinarians and Staff, John Wiley & Sons, →ISBN, page 262:

     Counterconditioning involves pairing something that the cat thinks is a positive thing (food, play, distance, etc.) with the presence of the scary stimulus.

Related terms

• countercondition (verb)