John Garcia's taste-aversion learning theories

Definition

John Garcia's taste-aversion learning theories suggest that humans and animals are more likely to develop an aversion or dislike for a particular food if they experience nausea or illness after consuming it, even if the illness was caused by something unrelated. This theory emphasizes the biological and evolutionary factors that influence our food preferences.

Related terms

Conditioned Taste Aversion: Conditioned taste aversion is when an individual develops a strong dislike or avoidance for a specific food due to associating it with negative experiences such as illness or nausea.

Biological Preparedness:

Biological preparedness refers to how certain organisms are biologically predisposed to form associations between certain stimuli (such as tastes) and negative outcomes (such as sickness), which influences their behavior.

Classical Conditioning:

Classical conditioning is a type of learning in which an organism learns to associate two stimuli together, leading them to respond in similar ways to both stimuli. In relation to taste-aversion learning, this refers to associating the taste of a particular food with feelings of illness or discomfort.