[1] Opposition or resistance to intervention defines countercontrol, however little systematic research has been conducted to document its occurrence.
[2] For this purpose, Skinner stressed the role of the individual as an instrument of countercontrol, emphasizing the notion of vigilance along with the concepts of freedom and dignity.
Countercontrol can be defined as human operant behavior as a response to social aversive control.
There are two types of countercontrol: Countercontrol is mostly avoidance or escape behavior, thus, this behavior class is only unique insofar as the behaver is (a) confronted with some form of aversive interpersonal or social controlling stimulation and (b) responds to oppose control rather than to reinforce it by "giving in”.
At one level, countercontrolling behavior results in avoidance or escape from a short-term problem along with non-reinforcement or counter measure from the controlee.
However, resistance will often occur in the form of disobedience, negativism, opposition, and uncooperativeness thus reducing the probability of the child replicating the desired skill or behavior demonstrated by the adult.
[4] A series of responses by the child may result by this resistance: Countercontrol can have an effect on intervention strategies by minimizing instructional time while increasing program expense.