In A Clockwork Orange, what is the name of the treatment that prevents Alex from committing violence?
Answer
Ludovico Technique
Answer
Ludovico Technique
In A Clockwork Orange, what is the name of the treatment that prevents Alex from committing violence? It is the Ludovico Technique. The experimental procedure is presented as a government attempt to rehabilitate Alex DeLarge, a violent criminal, within a very short period.
During the treatment, Alex is strapped into a chair, forced to keep his eyes open, and shown disturbing scenes of violence while being given drugs that induce severe nausea. The conditioning links violent imagery with physical sickness. As a result, Alex becomes unable to act violently without feeling intense nausea, even when he might otherwise choose to defend himself.
The technique creates the film's central moral question: has Alex become good, or has his freedom of choice been removed? The procedure is sometimes described as aversion therapy, but that is the general psychological method; “Ludovico Technique” is the specific name used in Anthony Burgess's novel and Kubrick's film. Its apparent success is later shown to be unstable and politically exploited.
Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Aug. 2026