We use the asymmetry of beam coupling with respect to the orientation of the polar axis in a nominally undoped barium titanate crystal to determine the electro‐optic and absorptive ‘‘gain’’ in the usual beam‐coupling geometry. For small grating wave vectors, the electro‐optic coupling vanishes but the absorptive coupling remains finite and positive. Positive absorptive coupling at small grating wave vectors is correlated with the light‐induced transparency of the crystal described herein. The intensity and grating wave vector dependence of the electro‐optic and absorptive coupling, and the light‐induced transparency are consistent with a model incorporating deep and shallow levels.