APA Dictionary of Psychology

a conditioned psychological and physiological response elicited by stimuli associated with a substance, behavior, or reward. Cues can be external (e.g., environments, objects, social contexts) or internal (e.g., emotions, stress, bodily states), and can trigger craving, heightened attention to the cue, and urges to engage in the learned behavior. Responses may include subjective desire, autonomic activation (e.g., changes in heart rate or skin conductance), and action tendencies such as approach or seeking, and is observed across substance use disorders as well as behavioral addictions (e.g., gambling). Because cue exposure can increase risk for lapse or relapse, many interventions focus on helping individuals recognize triggers and develop coping strategies, such as stimulus control, cognitive-behavioral skills, and mindfulness-based approaches, rather than attempting to eliminate all cues.