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Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Garcia Effect

Garcia Effect
The Garcia effect is an example of classical conditioning in everyday life. The Garcia Effect (conditioned taste aversion) is an aversion or distaste for a particular taste or smell that was associated with a negative reaction (such as nausea or vomiting).

This effect was discovered by John Garcia while he was studying effects of radiation on mice. He noticed that rats would avoid a new food when it was initially presented around the time of radiation exposure, which causes nausea and a general feeling of sickness. The Garcia effect occurs in patients undergoing treatment for cancer who are exposed to radiation as treatment. It can also happen in humans when a bad reaction occurs as a result of ingesting a particular food or drink, either from food poisoning or overindulgence.


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