1. Plural of aversive; stimuli or consequences that an organism finds unpleasant or undesirable and seeks to avoid or escape.
Usage: Common in psychology and behavioral science contexts; Often used in discussions of learning theory and behavior modification

Examples

• In the study, researchers used mild aversives such as loud noises to condition the rats' behavior.
• Psychologists debate the ethics of using aversives in behavior modification programs.
• The dog learned to avoid the fence after experiencing aversives like electric shocks.
• Some educators argue that aversives are less effective than positive reinforcement for long-term learning.
• The experiment examined how different aversives affected the subjects' decision-making processes.