Avoidance response

An avoidance response is a form of escape behavior present in animals in which the subject evades an aversive event. This can be due to anxiety or a frightening situation. Avoidance response is a response that is not necessarily conditioned before being exposed to in the stressful or fearful situation, the stimuli could be neutral. See for example studies involving avoidance response.^[1]

Avoidance responses are used in animal training and are the commonly expected response to behavioural modification using negative reinforcement. Common examples of avoidance responses in animal training are:

• a horse submits to the bit (slowing or stopping) in order to avoid the pressure or pain that the bit causes in its mouth if it is jerked back.
• a dog learns to walk quietly at a handler's side in order to avoid being choked by its leash.

See also

• Escape response
• Startle reaction
• Flight zone
• Fight-or-flight response

References