Geconditioneerde smaakaversie

Conditioned taste aversion, also known as sauce bearnaise syndrome, occurs when classical conditioning leads to avoidance reactions to certain food tastes.

Unlike most forms of conditioning, developing a conditioned taste aversion typically requires only one trial. For instance, one bad experience with sushi can be enough to cause an aversion.

There can be a significant delay, often up to six or eight hours, between the conditioned stimulus and the unconditioned stimulus in forming these aversions. For example, getting sick hours after eating sushi.

This delay is adaptive and serves as a protective mechanism, helping individuals avoid sushi to prevent another bout of food poisoning. It helps individuals prevent repeated exposure to harmful substances.

Conditioned taste aversions are highly specific and show minimal stimulus generalization. For instance, after getting sick from sushi, one might still eat cooked fish. This means that the aversion is usually limited to the specific food that caused the illness.