Operant Extinction: Elimination and Generation of Behavior

These flashcards cover key vocabulary related to operant extinction as discussed in the provided lecture notes.

Operant Extinction

The process through which previously reinforced behavior is diminished or eliminated by discontinuing reinforcement.

Reinforcement

A stimulus or event that increases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated in the future.

Discriminative Stimulus Control

A process where certain stimuli signal the availability of reinforcement, influencing the likelihood of a behavior occurring.

Generative Effects

Behavioral changes that occur as a result of extinction, such as the emergence of new, unreinforced behaviors.

Extinction Curve

A graphical representation of the decline in responding when reinforcement is removed.

Spontaneous Recovery

The reappearance of a previously extinguished behavior after a period of non-exposure to the extinction context.

Resistance to Extinction

The degree to which a behavior persists despite the absence of reinforcement.

Behavior Contrast

When a target behavior improves in one setting (e.g., therapy) but worsens in another (e.g., home) because reinforcement or consequences change across environments, often due to inconsistent application of strategies, making the behavior more frequent where it's still rewarded or less punished

Planned Ignoring

An extinction strategy where a caregiver deliberately does not respond to a child's problem behavior to reduce its occurrence.