In this past unit, we have been learning about classical and operant conditioning. One of those terms is taste aversion. A taste aversion is something that develops when a certain food is associated with the symptoms of an illness. There are many causes for taste aversions, but the main ones are becoming sick after eating that certain food, and pregnancy. This occurrence is an adaptive trait and its purpose is to avoid eating harmful organisms like bacteria and fungi. The most common symptoms that can be associated with a taste aversion are nausea and vomiting. You can get rid of a taste aversion by slowing increasing exposure to the food until the aversion is completely gone.
In my life, I have had many experiences with developing a taste aversion. One instance that I remember the most clearly is with hamburgers. I have had a very strong taste aversion to both hamburgers and cheeseburgers for many years. When I was in elementary school, my family went on a trip to Great Wolf Lodge. One night, we went to a restaurant where I had a hamburger for dinner. After dinner, I felt sick and threw up. I avoided hamburgers for a few years after this incident. Then, in middle school, I went over to my friends house for dinner where we had cheeseburgers. That same night after dinner, I threw up. Ever since that moment, I have avoided eating burgers at all costs.
This experience in my life is related to the term taste aversion because getting sick from eating burgers both times caused me to develop a severe taste aversion to burgers. Since I got sick from eating the burgers multiple times, my taste aversion was reinforced and the behavior increased. My brain associates throwing up and eating cheeseburgers and hamburgers. One day, if I slowly expose myself to them more and more, I could possibly get rid of the taste aversion.
You did a very good job at giving a summary of taste aversion. I like how you listed the symptoms and explained the biological reasoning for taste aversion. It was interesting to hear how you have had multiple cases of taste aversion with the same food, and I like how you suggested exposure as a means to rid your taste aversion.
Taste aversion is super cool and I’m glad that somebody covered it. I have actually used types of aversion in my own life to help me. For example (hypothetically) if you (i) were addicted to vaping I would buy a really disgusting flavor to reduce how much I want it. I associate that negative taste with vape. Also with the whole getting sick thing you talked about. I feel that. I can’t eat mac n cheese no matter how hard I try however it is getting better. I believe this may be an example of extinction. I could be wrong. Thank you for covering this and helping all of us get a better understanding of what taste aversion really is.
Your description of taste aversion was well written and easy to comprehend. I appreciate how you didn’t just list the causes and symptoms but also gave a solution. I also think your connection to taste aversion was very relatable, as many people have had a similar reaction to at least one type of food.