chapter 14: applying extinction

what is extinction?

extinction means no longer providing the reinforcement that was maintaining the behaviour, so that overtime the behaviour decrease.

extinction following positive reinforcement

• stop delivering the reinforcer

extinction following negative reinforcement

• individual is unable to escape and avoid.

extinction ≠ _______

• ignoring

extinction decreases the ___________ and increases the __________

• problem behaviour; alternative behaviour

step 1 in applying extinction

• create an operational definition and collect baseline data

step 2 in applying extinction

• functional assessment is used to identify the type of reinforcement

  • important to determine the correct reinforcement because reinforcement for the same behaviour can vary from one individual to another.

what was the reinforcement used in Tina’s hair twirling behaviour?

• automatic reinforcement; self-stimulation

step 3 in applying extinction

• remove reinforcement for the problem behaviour

3 effects of extinction

• spontaneous recovery

• agression

• extinction burst

what was the end results of Steve’s case?

• problem behaviour was eliminated AS WELL AS the extinction induced aggression that resulted from the extinction of the target behaviour.

step 4 in applying extinction

• consider the schedules of reinforcement— continuous vs intermittent.

continuous reinforcement

• reinforcing every response; predictable

intermittent reinforcement

• reinforcing some responses; unpredictable

are behaviours reinforced by continuous or intermittent reinforcement harder to extinguish?

• intermittent reinforcement

step 5 in applying extinction

• reinforce alternative behaviour

step 6 in applying extinction

• generalization and maintenance

generalization vs maintenance

• generalization: behaviour change occurs across settings

• maintenance: behaviour change occurs across time.

when not to apply extinction?

• group settings → imitation

• dangerous behaviours → gradual, + extinction bursts can temporarily intensify behaviour

Caregivers are more likely to implement extinction with fidelity if the behavior analyst gets them to “buy in” to the procedure. What does it mean to have buy in?

the care giver finds the treatment acceptable