Alliesthesia

As introduced in the DSPR, alliesthesia is the concept that any stimulus capable of supporting our homeostasis will be perceived as pleasant, while any stimulus that threatens or alters homeostasis will be perceived as unpleasant (Segen’s Medical Dictionary). It is a phenomenon involving the increased reward value of a stimulus based on its potential to move the body’s physiological state toward homeostasis (Simmons & Deville, 2017).