Extinction

Question 1

Extinction

Answer 1

procedure in which reinforcement of a previously reinforced behavior is withheld/discontinued –> behavior decreases

Question 2

Effectiveness of Extinction

Answer 2

• dependent on the identification of reinforcing consequences
• consistent application of the procedure

Question 3

Extinction procedure does NOT…

Answer 3

prevent occurrences of a problem behavior

(the environment is changed so the problem behavior will no longer produce the maintaining consequence)

Question 4

Forms of Extinction

Answer 4

1. procedural
2. functional

Question 5

Procedural

Answer 5

ignoring the problem behavior

Question 6

Functional

Answer 6

withholding the maintaining reinforcers

Question 7

Misuses of the Term Extinction

Answer 7

1. using extinction to refer to any decrease in behavior
2. confusing forgetting and extinction
3. confusing response blocking and sensory extinction
4. confusing noncontingent reinforcement and extinction

Question 8

Extinction of Behavior Maintained by Positive Reinforcement

Answer 8

behaviors maintained by positive reinforcement are placed on extinction when those behaviors do not produce the reinforcer

Question 9

Extinction of Behavior Maintained by Negative Reinforcement

Answer 9

behaviors maintained by negative reinforcement are placed on extinction when those behaviors do not produce a removal of the aversive stimulus

(escape extinction)
(individual cannot escape from the aversive stimulus)

Question 10

Extinction of Behavior Maintained by Automatic Reinforcement

Answer 10

behaviors maintained by automatic reinforcement are placed on extinction by masking or removing the sensory consequence

(sensory extinction)

Question 11

Extinction Effects

Answer 11

• extinction produces a gradual reduction in behavior
• initial increase in frequency and magnitude of the behavior then a decrease

Question 12

Extinction Burst

Answer 12

immediate increase in the frequency of the response after the removal of the positive, negative, or automatic reinforcement

Question 13

Extinction burst usually suggest that…

Answer 13

the reinforcer maintaining the problem behavior was successfully identified (good chance of effective intervention)

Question 14

Spontaneous Recovery

Answer 14

behavior that diminished during the extinction process recurs even though the behavior does not produce reinforcement

(short-lived and limited if extinction procedure remains in effect)

Question 15

Resistance to Extinction

Answer 15

continued responding during the extinction process

Question 16

Establishing Operations

Answer 16

all stimuli that function as reinforcers require a minimal level of an establishing operation

Question 17

Variables Affecting Resistance to Extinction (reinforcement schedules)

Answer 17

1. intermittent reinforcement may produce behavior with greater resistance to extinction (compared to continuous reinforcement)
2. some intermittent schedules may produce more resistance than others
3. thinner intermittent reinforcement schedules are greater to extinction

Question 18

Variables Affecting Resistance to Extinction (other)

Answer 18

1. number, magnitude, and quality of reinforcement : number of times a behavior produces reinforcement may influence resistance to extinction
2. number of previous extinction trials : successive applications of conditioning and extinction may influence the resistance to extinction
3. response efforts : effort required for a response apparently influences its resistance to extinction

Question 19

10 Guidelines

Answer 19

1. withholding all reinforcers maintining the problem behavior