Avoidance may refer to: *

Avoidance coping In psychology, avoidance coping is a coping mechanism and form of experiential avoidance. It is characterized by a person's efforts, conscious or unconscious, to avoid dealing with a stressor in order to protect oneself from the difficulties the s ...

, a kind of coping that is generally considered maladaptive, as it promotes an exaggerated fear response through negative reinforcement *

Avoidant personality disorder Avoidant personality disorder (AvPD), or anxious personality disorder, is a cluster C personality disorder characterized by excessive social anxiety and inhibition, fear of intimacy (despite an intense desire for it), severe feelings of inade ...

, a personality disorder recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders *

Conflict avoidance Conflict avoidance is a set of behaviors aimed at preventing or minimizing disagreement with another person. These behaviors can occur before the conflict emerges (e.g., avoiding certain topics, changing the subject) or after the conflict has been ...

, a controversial method of dealing with conflict *

Experiential avoidance Experiential avoidance (EA) has been broadly defined as attempts to avoid thoughts, feelings, memories, physical sensations, and other internal experiences — even when doing so creates harm in the long run. The process of EA is thought to be main ...

, attempts to avoid thoughts, feelings, memories, physical sensations, and other internal experiences *

Australian Aboriginal avoidance practices Aboriginal avoidance practices are a cultural practice in many traditional Aboriginal societies in which certain people are required to avoid others in their family or clan. These customs are still active in many parts of Australia, to varying ...

, relationships in traditional Aboriginal society where certain people were required to avoid others in their family or clan * ''Avoidance'' (novel), a 2002 novel by Michael Lowenthal * ''Avoidance'' (TV series), a 2022 British comedy-drama series *

Avoidance play In contract bridge, avoidance play is a play technique whereby declarer prevents a particular defender from winning the trick, so as to eschew a dangerous lead from that hand. The dangerous hand is usually the one who is able to finesse through de ...

, a card play technique in contract bridge designed to prevent a particular defender from winning the trick

See also