Extinction Flashcards
Extinction
When you think about the role or reinforcement, you realize that reinforcement is the “jet fuel” that keeps
behaviors going.
Without reinforcement, there would be nothing
supporting the behavior
And it would die out
Extinction
Extinction = non-reinforcement of a previously
reinforced response which results in a decrease in the
strength of that response
Lever Press (R) → Food (SR)
Lever Press (R) → No Food
Examples:
A professor stops giving extra credit to attend research
talks in the department. Consequently attendance at
the talk goes down.
A dog no longer gets praised or a doggie treat for
doing a trick. The frequency of that behavior will begin
to decrease.
Need to be sure that consequence being withheld
is the correct one
Example
You believe that chocolate is maintaining a child’s
tantrum throwing behavior, but in reality it is the
attention the child receives from his mother. In this
case, withholding chocolate will not extinguish the
child’s tantrums.
Need to be sure that consequence being withheld
is the correct one
Example
You believe that chocolate is maintaining a child’s
tantrum throwing behavior, but in reality it is the
attention the child receives from his mother. In this
case, withholding chocolate will not extinguish the
child’s tantrums.
You can use extinction (taking away the reinforcer) as
another way to reduce behavior besides punishment
Example: Parent would always pick up a toy that the
child drops on the ground. Child begins to throw the
toy on the ground on purpose. So, parents do not pick
up a toy that was thrown on purpose and that
behavior decreases.
The good news is that with extinction you have another
tool in your belt to reduce unwanted behavior besides
punishment
The bad news is that using it has side effects, just like we
will see with punishment (ch 9)
You can use extinction (taking away the reinforcer) as
another way to reduce behavior besides punishment
Example: Parent would always pick up a toy that the
child drops on the ground. Child begins to throw the
toy on the ground on purpose. So, parents do not pick
up a toy that was thrown on purpose and that
behavior decreases.
The good news is that with extinction you have another
tool in your belt to reduce unwanted behavior besides
punishment
The bad news is that using it has side effects, just like we
will see with punishment (ch 9)
You’ve been operantly conditioned that when you
click on the Chrome icon, your internet application
opens within 2 seconds. You click on it, but nothing
happens.
What types of behavioral responses might you
display?
Side effects of extinction
1. Extinction burst
2. Increase in variability
3. Emotional behavior
4. Aggression
5. Resurgence
6. Depression
Extinction burst
Extinction burst
– Temporary increase in
frequency or intensity of a
behavior immediately following
extinction trials
Example
“Don’t walk” signal when waiting
to cross the road (e.g., VI 2 min
schedule).
If the signal does not change
after 3 mins then press the button
more frequently and forcefully.
Increase in variability
Increase in variability
Extinction can result in performance of a greater
range of behaviors (greater variability)
Example
The key normally used to unlock your front door
does not work. You begin to hold the key differently,
not push it all the way in, turn the key upside down
etc.
Emotional behavior
Emotional behavior
Extinction can lead to increase in emotional
behavior
Example
When the key fails to unlock your front door you
show signs of agitation and frustration (e.g., shaking,
heart-rate increases, sweating)
Aggression
Aggression
Example
When the key fails to unlock your front door you
might show signs of aggression by thumping the
door, kicking the lock, blaming your partner for
‘doing something’ to the lock or key
Resurgence
Resurgence
Reappearance of other behaviors during extinction
that once produced reinforcement
Example
When waiting to cross the road and the ‘Don’t
Walk’ signal does not change after 3 mins then you
might decide to cross the road in another location,
or cross on the red signal (if these behaviors have
produced reinforcement in the past)
Depression
When extinction trials are
implemented, activity often
increases (extinction burst) then falls
below normal levels (depression)
before returning to baseline levels
Low activity (depression) appears in
the absence of a previously
reinforced event.
Example
At the end of a relationship people
stop engaging in activities that
once were pleasurable
You’ve been operantly conditioned that when you
click on the Chrome icon, your internet application
opens within 2 seconds. You click on it, but nothing
happens.
The next time you want to get online, you still click
on Chrome, what are some factors that you think
prevent this behavior from extinguishing?
You’ve been operantly conditioned that when you
click on the Chrome icon, your internet application
opens within 2 seconds. You click on it, but nothing
happens.
The next time you want to get online, you still click
on Chrome, what are some factors that you think
prevent this behavior from extinguishing?
Resistance to extinction
The extent to which responding continues following the
implementation of an extinction procedure
In plain English, this means that it is how long the behavior
continues after you have taken away the reinforcer
So what factors affect just how persistent a behavior will be?
Resistance to extinction can be affected by a
number of factors
1. Schedule of reinforcement
2. History of reinforcement
3. Magnitude of the reinforcer
4. Degree of deprivation
5. Previous experience with extinction
6. Distinctive signal for extinction
- Schedule of reinforcement - most important factor influencing
resistance to extinction
- Schedule of reinforcement - most important factor influencing
resistance to extinction
Behavior that has been maintained on an intermittent schedule
of reinforcement (e.g., VR; VI; FR; FI) is more resistant to extinction
than a behavior reinforced on continuous schedule
The less often a behavior is reinforced the harder it is to
extinguish is known as the partial reinforcement effect
Ex. Coke machine vs. slot machine
Lewis & Duncan (1956)
Ps told they would earn 5c every time they won when playing
slot machines
Ps were reinforced between 0-100 percent of responses for the
first 8 plays – then no reinforcement
Results:
Lower percent of reinforced trials, the longer
students continued to play after reinforcement
stopped.
