Extinction, Recovery and Avoidance Part 1- Extinction Reducing Responding

Vocabulary flashcards covering extinction, interference, renewal, reinstatement, punishment, and avoidance concepts from the notes.

Extinction (classical conditioning)

The CS is presented without the US, weakening the CS–US association and reducing the conditioned response.

Extinction (instrumental conditioning)

The instrumental response in the presence of a discriminative stimulus is no longer reinforced, leading to a decline in the behavior.

Extinction burst

A temporary spike in responding that occurs at the start of extinction before responding decreases.

Partial reinforcement extinction effect (PREE)

Learning reinforced intermittently is more resistant to extinction than learning reinforced every time.

Discrimination hypothesis

Difficulty detecting the shift from partial to continuous reinforcement slows extinction.

Generalization decrement hypothesis

Extinction is harder to notice when the extinction context is similar to prior training.ist.

Frustration theory

Organisms persist in the face of frustration when reinforcement is removed.

Outcome interference

Competing outcomes associated with a cue interfere with retrieval of the target memory.

Cue interference

Different cues linked to the same outcome can interfere with each other’s retrieval.

Proactive interference

Earlier learning interferes with later learning, often more responding to the initial cue.

Retroactive interference

Later learning interferes with earlier learning, often more responding to the later cue.

Proactive outcome interference

Earlier cue–outcome pairings interfere with later cue–outcome learning.

Retroactive outcome interference

Later training changes memory of earlier outcomes, disrupting earlier learning.

Forgetting

A passive decay of memory traces leading to reduced responding over time.

Unlearning

An active process by which the CS becomes unassociated with the US.

Spontaneous recovery

Return of responding after a rest period following extinction, suggesting non-erasure.

Renewal

Recovery of responding when testing occurs in a context different from the extinction context.

ABA renewal

Renewal when testing returns to the original acquisition context after extinction in context B.

ABC renewal

Renewal when testing occurs in a novel context after extinction in context B.

AAB renewal

Renewal when testing in a context that aligns with neither acquisition nor extinction contexts.

Reinstatement

Recovery of responding after non-contingent US presentations following extinction.

Facilitated reacquisition

Faster re-learning of an extinguished response upon re-exposure than learning a new cue.

Bouton’s retrieval theory

Extinction reflects retroactive interference; memory retrieval depends on context.

Context as retrieval cue

Context signals whether extinction memory or original learning should guide behavior.

Extinction cues

Reminders present during extinction that help recall extinction memory at test.

Extinction memory retrieval

Ability to recall extinction learning when the CS is encountered later.

Extinction in multiple contexts

Extinction training across several contexts enhances generalization and reduces relapse.

Deepened extinction

Extinguishing a CS in the presence of a second independently trained exciter yields stronger inhibition.

Massive extinction

A very large number of extinction trials increases extinction robustness and reduces relapse.

Trial spacing

Spacing extinction trials yields more durable extinction than massed trials.

Reminder cues

Stimuli that cue retrieval of extinction memory during testing.

Predictive error (Rescorla–Wagner)

Learning is driven by the difference between expected and received US strength.

Delta V (ΔV)

Change in associative strength; ΔV = λ − ΣV in the Rescorla–Wagner model.

Lambda (λ)

The maximum associative strength of the US (the US magnitude).

Extinction with second excitor

Extinction conducted in the presence of a second exciter, producing stronger inhibitory learning.

Contingency (punishment)

The reliability of coupling a response with punishment; stronger contiguity yields greater suppression.

Timing of punishment

Immediate punishment is generally more effective than delayed punishment.

Discriminative stimulus (punishment)

A cue signaling that punishment will follow the response (similar to SD for punishment).

Positive punishment

Adding an aversive stimulus after a response to decrease its probability.

Negative punishment

Removing a positive reinforcer after a response to decrease its probability.

Punishment schedule (continuous vs partial)

Frequency of punishment; continuous punishment rapidly suppresses, partial can allow persistence.

Postreinforcement pause

The pause after a punished response before responding again.

Safety signal hypothesis

Safety cues accompanying avoidance provide reinforcement for avoidance by reducing fear.

Conditioning emotional response theory of punishment

Punishment suppresses behavior via conditioned emotional responses (fear) that hamper activity.

Two-process theory of avoidance

Avoidance is maintained by fear conditioning and negative reinforcement.

Active avoidance

A behavior that prevents an aversive event from occurring.

Passive avoidance

Avoidance achieved by refraining from an action to avoid punishment.

Signaled avoidance

Avoidance guided by a cue that signals when avoidance is possible.

Free-operant avoidance

Avoidance responses occur in a continuous setting without discrete trials.

Shuttle box

An apparatus used for two-way shuttle avoidance experiments.