Untrain

To reverse or dismantle a learned skill, behavior, or belief through deliberate practice, exposure to new information, or the removal of reinforcement. Untraining often involves relearning a concept or skill, and it is a process of eliminating ingrained responses. It signifies a conscious effort to disrupt established patterns, which is essential when prior training is outdated, incorrect, or harmful. This deconstruction facilitates adaptation to new situations, information, or technologies.

Untrain meaning with examples

• The old dog's aggressive barking needed to be untrained. We slowly introduced new triggers and rewarded calm behavior, breaking the association between strangers and reactivity. This painstaking process helped him learn to stay calm around people, demonstrating that even ingrained habits can be modified and untrained with patience and consistency.
• After years of using a particular software program, the transition to a new one required the team to untrain their old muscle memory. They needed to re-learn where the buttons and commands were, even though the new program's functionality was similar. It was slow initially, but eventually, they integrated these new habits and improved their productivity.
• In modern military training, troops must be untrained in old outdated battlefield tactics if they are to incorporate new strategies. Through simulated scenarios, they deconstruct established behaviours, thus preparing for the new modern warfare. This is an ongoing process to ensure effectiveness in current conflicts.
• The athlete's coach worked to untrain her reliance on a specific, now counterproductive, technique. He focused on helping her rebuild her form by making her actively practice the new technique, while encouraging her to let go of the previous routine, resulting in improving overall performance.
• The therapist helped the patient untrain negative thought patterns associated with anxiety. Through cognitive behavioral therapy, she learned to recognize and challenge these thoughts, replacing them with more positive and realistic ones, eventually leading to a reduction in anxiety symptoms and improved mental well-being.