EXTINCTION, RECOVERY AND AVOIDANCE - VOCABULARY FLASHCARDS

Vocabulary flashcards covering extinction, recovery, interference, punishment, and avoidance concepts from the lecture notes.

Extinction (Classical Conditioning)

The CS is no longer followed by the US, causing the conditioned response (CR) to decline; extinction is new inhibitory learning and is often context-specific, sometimes accompanied by an extinction burst.

Extinction (Instrumental/Operant Conditioning)

The operant response in the presence of the CS is no longer followed by the reinforcer, leading to a decrease in the operant behavior.

Extinction Burst

An initial temporary increase in responding when extinction begins as the subject searches for reinforcement.

Unlearning

An active process by which the CS becomes unassociated with the US, erasing the excitatory CS–US association.

Forgetting

A passive process where responding declines due to degradation or passage of time without new learning or reinforcement.

Interference

An active process in which new learning interferes with the expression or retrieval of previously learned associations; includes outcome and cue interference.

Outcome Interference

Interference when the CS is paired with different outcomes across phases, hindering retrieval of the original CS–US association.

Cue Interference

Interference arising from competing or new cues that disrupt the expression of a previously learned CS–US association.

Partial Reinforcement Extinction Effect (PREE)

Extinction proceeds more slowly after partial reinforcement than after continuous reinforcement.

Partial Reinforcement

A reinforcement schedule where responses are not reinforced every time (intermittent reinforcement).

Spontaneous Recovery

The return of a previously extinguished response after a rest period with no training.

Renewal

Recovery of responding when the subject is tested outside the extinction context; includes ABA, ABC, and AAB renewal.

Reinstatement

Recovery of responding following presentations of the US alone, without the CS, often context-dependent.

Facilitated Reacquisition

Faster reacquisition of an extinguished response when retrained with the CS, often compared to a novel cue.

Bouton’s Theory of Retrieval

Extinction is an example of retroactive outcome interference; retrieval of the original CS–US memory is disrupted by the new extinction learning and context signals.

Reminder Cues

Cues that facilitate retrieval of extinction memory to improve recovery control; can aid in maintaining extinction.

Extinction in Multiple Contexts

Extinction learning is context-specific; training in multiple contexts enhances generalization of extinction across contexts.

Spacing (Extinction)

Spaced extinction trials or sessions produce better extinction than massed (closer together) extinction.

Massive Extinction

Extinction conducted with a large number of extinction trials to strengthen inhibitory learning.

Deepened Extinction

Stronger extinction when extinction occurs with a second independently trained excitatory cue, increasing inhibitory learning.

Extinction as Interference

Extinction is thought to reflect interference from inhibitory associations learned during extinction on excitatory associations learned during acquisition.

Spontaneous Recovery Context

Recovery can be influenced by the context and time, consistent with retrieval-based explanations.

ABA Renewal

Renewal occurring when acquisition and extinction happen in different contexts, and test occurs in the original context.

ABC Renewal

Renewal occurring when extinction in one context and testing in a novel context leads to recovery of responding.

AAB Renewal

Renewal when acquisition and testing occur in different contexts, with extinction in a third context.

Extinction (Contextual Specificity)

Extinction learning is tied to the context in which extinction occurred; changing contexts reduces transfer of extinction.

Spontaneous Recovery Mechanism

Proposed mechanisms include instability of inhibitory associations and retrieval dynamics rather than forgetting.

Reinstatement Mechanism

Contextual cues or US re-exposure revive responding after extinction, depending on context similarity.

Renewal vs. Reinstatement

Renewal involves context change; reinstatement involves reselection after US exposure; both show recovery after extinction.

Extinction in Multiple Contexts (Context Similarity)

Greater similarity between acquisition and extinction contexts strengthens extinction learning and retrieval.

Reminder Cues (Extinction Retrieval)

Cues that help retrieve the extinction memory to prevent return of the CR in similar situations.

Avoidance

Behavior aimed at preventing an aversive event; can be passive (avoiding exposure) or active (performing a protective response).

Discriminated Avoidance Procedure

Trials begin with a CS; failure to respond results in an escape; successful response prevents the US (avoidance). Often conducted in shuttle boxes.

Shuttle Box / Two-Way Shuttle Avoidance

Procedures where the subject learns to move between compartments to avoid or escape the aversive US.

Signaled Free-Operant Avoidance

US occurs periodically without a signal; the subject must perform avoidance responses to keep US at bay.

Extinguishing Avoidance (Response Blocking)

Extinction of avoidance by blocking the avoidance response, forcing exposure to the aversive CS and its contingency.

Motivation for Avoidance

Early escape trials create fear; later avoidance persists even with reduced fear, because avoidance is motivated by the absence of punishment.

Safety Signal Hypothesis

Safety signals accompanying avoidance provide positive reinforcement and support avoidance behavior by reducing fear.

Two-Process Theory (Avoidance)

Avoidance learning involves Pavlovian fear conditioning and instrumental avoidance learning as interacting processes.

Ethical Considerations of Punishment

Punishment raises concerns about side effects (e.g., aggression) and welfare, and must be weighed against alternatives.

Punishment

The presentation of an aversive outcome following a target response to reduce its frequency; can be positive or negative in contingency.

Contingency (Punishment)

The strength and reliability with which the punisher follows the target response; stronger contingency yields greater suppression.

Contiguity (Punishment)

The temporal proximity between the response and the punisher; shorter delays increase punishment effectiveness.

Presence of Positive Reinforcement (Punishment Context)

Ongoing reinforcement for alternative or other behaviors can lessen punishment effectiveness or, in some cases, support punished behavior.

Punishment as a Discriminative Stimulus

Punishment can signal that a response will be punished and may inadvertently boost responding if it becomes a cue for reinforcement of other actions.

Theories of Punishment: Conditioned Emotional Response (Estes)

Punishment reduces behavior by eliciting conditioned fear and related freezing, interfering with ongoing activity.

Negative Law of Effect

Punishment reduces responding by creating stronger aversive associations; negative events are often more impactful than positive ones.

Punishment Side-Effects

Unwanted outcomes such as aggression, ethical concerns, and potential misuse of punishment procedures.

Avoidance (Summary)

Learning that a CS predicts an aversive US and performing a response to prevent it; often maintained by safety signals or two-process mechanisms.