Appetitive Stimulation refers to:

• A. Stimulations that evoke avoidance
• B. Stimulations that evoke approach and control behavior
• C. Stimulations that have no effect
• D. Stimulations that punish

Answer: (B)

Appetitive stimulation refers to stimuli the animal finds rewarding and will actively seek out. Because these stimuli are desirable, they provoke approach toward the stimulus and motivate the animal to engage with the trainer or the task. This makes them especially useful for shaping and guiding behavior: you present the appetitive stimulus contingent on the desired action, and the animal learns to perform that action to obtain the reward. In training, treats, praise, or a preferred toy are common appetitive stimuli that drive approach and help you control the learning process. The other options describe stimuli that cause avoidance, have no effect, or punish, which aren’t appetitive.