Understanding Extinction and Its Effects in Behavior

Extinction

nonreinforcement of previously reinforced response; results in decrease in the strength response

Extinction Burst

A temporary increase in the frequency and intensity of responding when extinction is first implemented.

Increase in Variability

increase in variability of a behavior (example = frustration, aggression, depression)

Resurgence

reappearance during extinction of other behaviors that had once been effective in obtaining reinforcement

Resistance to Extinction

Extent to which responding persists after extinction procedure has been implemented (can be high or low)

Partial Reinforcement Effect

behavior maintained on intermittent/partial reinforcement schedule will extinguish more slowly than behavior maintained on continuous schedule

History of Reinforcement

the more reinforcers received = greater resistance to extinction

Magnitude of the Reinforcer

large reinforcers sometimes result in greater resistance to extinction than small reinforcers

Degree of Deprivation

the greater the level of deprivation, the greater the resistance to extinction

Previous Experience with Extinction

the greater the number of exposures to extinction, the quicker the behavior will extinguish

Distinctive Signal for Extinction

extinction facilitated when there is a distinctive stimulus that signals the onset of extinction

Spontaneous Recovery

Reappearance of an extinguished response following a rest period after extinction

Differential Reinforcement of Other Behavior (DRO)

Reinforcement of any behavior other than the target behavior that is being extinguished

Functional Communication Training

where behavior of clear and appropriate communication is differentially reinforced

Stimulus Control

A situation in which the presence of a discriminative stimulus reliably affects the probability of a behavior.

Stimulus Generalization

tendency for operant response to be emitted in presence of stimulus similar to SD

Generalization Gradient

tendency to generalize across different stimuli

Stimulus Discrimination

tendency for operant response to be emitted more in the presence of one stimulus than another

Discrimination Training

reinforcement of responding in presence of SD and not another

Peak Shift Effect

Peak of generalization gradient following discrimination training will shift from the SD to a stimulus further removed from S∆ during discrimination

Multiple Schedule

two or more independent schedules presented in sequence; each resulting in reinforcement having distinctive SD

Behavioral Contrast

occurs when change in rate of reinforcement on one component of multiple schedule produces opposite change in the rate of response on another component