If it is aversive to the animal and discourages behavior, it is a punishment. If it seems aversive to you but is not aversive to the animal, then it is not an effective punishment. In fact, technically, it's not even a punishment.
Source: wiktionary
Aversive
Synonyms for "aversive" (13 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (3)
Adjective(3 words)
Strong matches (4)
Adjective(4 words)
Related words (6)
Adjective(5 words)
Noun(1 words)
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
8 entriesbehavioral interventionbehavioral techniqueconditioning stimulusnegative attributepsychological methodstimulusstimulus categoryunpleasantness
More specific
6 entriesCollocations
9 entriesaversive conditioningaversive controlaversive eventaversive procedureaversive reactionaversive stimulusaversive therapynoxious stimulusunpleasant stimulus
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
2 entriesSample sentences
2 total sentences available.
For general training purposes, opportunities to engage in reproductive acts are not a practical reinforcer, and using aversives that generate fear is fraught with side effects.
Source: wiktionary