conditioned suppression: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Technical / Academic
Quick answer
What does “conditioned suppression” mean?
A learned reduction or inhibition of a behaviour (typically an operant response like lever pressing) that occurs during the presentation of a conditioned stimulus that has been previously paired with an aversive event.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A learned reduction or inhibition of a behaviour (typically an operant response like lever pressing) that occurs during the presentation of a conditioned stimulus that has been previously paired with an aversive event.
In behavioural psychology, a phenomenon where a subject's ongoing, reinforced behaviour is suppressed when a stimulus previously associated with an unpleasant or feared outcome (e.g., an electric shock) is presented. It serves as a measure of classical conditioning (typically fear conditioning) by its impact on an unrelated operant behaviour.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences; the term is identical in form and meaning across scientific English. Spelling conventions follow regional norms (e.g., 'behavioural' vs. 'behavioral' in surrounding text).
Connotations
Purely technical, with no additional cultural connotations in either variety.
Frequency
Used with identical, very low frequency exclusively in psychology and neuroscience literature in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “conditioned suppression” in a Sentence
The researcher observed conditioned suppression in the subject.Conditioned suppression was evident during the CS presentation.The study used a conditioned suppression task to assess fear.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “conditioned suppression” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The conditioned-suppression paradigm is a classic tool.
- We analysed the conditioned-suppression data.
American English
- The conditioned-suppression procedure is widely used.
- A conditioned-suppression effect was clearly present.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Primary context. Used in psychology, neuroscience, and behavioural science journals and textbooks to describe a specific experimental finding related to learning and fear.
Everyday
Never used. Would be misunderstood.
Technical
Sole context. Precisely defined in experimental protocols and research papers on animal and human learning.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “conditioned suppression”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “conditioned suppression”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “conditioned suppression”
- Using it as a verb (e.g., 'The stimulus conditioned suppressed the response').
- Confusing it with 'operant conditioning' or 'extinction'.
- Using it in non-scientific contexts.
- Thinking 'suppression' refers to a conscious act.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Punishment weakens a behaviour by following it with an aversive consequence. Conditioned suppression weakens a behaviour by presenting a stimulus that predicts an aversive event, which creates a state of fear that interferes with the behaviour.
Yes, the principle applies. For example, a person might pause or slow down a repetitive task (like clicking a mouse) when a stimulus previously associated with a loud, unpleasant noise is presented, even if no noise actually occurs.
Extinction is the weakening of a conditioned response (like fear) by repeatedly presenting the conditioned stimulus without the aversive event. Conditioned suppression is the measurable *result* or *expression* of that conditioned fear on another behaviour.
It provides an objective, behavioural measure of fear learning (classical conditioning) that is independent of the subject's ability to verbally report feelings, making it invaluable for animal research and studies on pre-verbal humans or certain clinical populations.
A learned reduction or inhibition of a behaviour (typically an operant response like lever pressing) that occurs during the presentation of a conditioned stimulus that has been previously paired with an aversive event.
Conditioned suppression is usually technical / academic in register.
Conditioned suppression: in British English it is pronounced /kənˈdɪʃənd səˈpreʃən/, and in American English it is pronounced /kənˈdɪʃənd səˈprɛʃən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a rat happily pressing a lever for food (OPERANT). A light (CS) comes on that was previously paired with a mild foot shock (FEAR). The rat freezes and stops pressing—its lever pressing is SUPPRESSED because it is CONDITIONED to fear the light.
Conceptual Metaphor
FEAR IS A BRAKE ON BEHAVIOUR. A learned fear signal applies a 'brake' to ongoing activity.
Practice
Quiz
What does 'conditioned suppression' most specifically refer to?