Figure 1.

Counterconditioning, as distinct from standard extinction, involves replacing an expected salient outcome with a new outcome of the opposite valence. Counterconditioning as a technique formed the basis for therapies such as systematic desensitization or aversion therapy, where unwanted responses are inhibited by activating an antagonistic response system. In this simplified illustration, a person afraid of dogs after an encounter with a vicious dog, might undergo extinction-based treatment via exposure to the feared stimulus in a safe environment. Alternatively, a counterconditioning approach could involve gradually encountering dogs while in a relaxed or pleasant state, or while performing an appetitive action that inhibits expression of fear. Both approaches are considered forms of new learning that generate a second association (e.g., dogs are safe), which later competes for expression with the original association (e.g., dogs are dangerous). In this illustration, a patient shows relapse to the original association following extinction but not counterconditioning. However, laboratory research on the long term effects of counterconditioning versus extinction shows varied results.