avoidance conditioning
the establishment of behavior that prevents or postpones aversive stimulation. In a typical conditioning experiment, a buzzer is sounded, then a shock is applied to the subject (e.g., a dog) until it performs a particular act (e.g., jumping over a fence). After several trials, the dog jumps as soon as the buzzer sounds, avoiding the shock. Also called avoidance learning; avoidance training. See also escape conditioning.