Cooper ch. 21: Extinction

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Extinction: Occurs when reinforcement of a previously reinforced behavior is discontinued.; as a result, the frequency of that behavior decreases in the future.

Misuses of a Technical Term:

Extinction might be the most misunderstood and missed technical term in ABA

It is a technical term that analysts should use only to identify the procedure of withholding reinforcers that maintain behavior.

Four common misses of the technical term:

Using extinction to refer to any decrease in behavior

Some use the term extinction when referring to any decrease in responding, regardless of what produced behavior change.

Confusing Forgetting and Extinction

In forgetting: a behavior is weakened by the passage of time during which the person does not have an opportunity to emit the behavior.

In extinction: behavior is weakened because it does not produce reinforcement.

Confusing response blocking and sensory extinction

Response blocking is not an extinction procedure. With all extinction procedures, including sensory consequences, the persons can emit the problem behavior, but that behavior will not produce reinforcement.

Confusing non contingent reinforcement and extinction

Procedures for Extinction = 3 forms *go over these more thoroughly.*

Extinction of Behavior Maintained by Positive Reinforcement

Behaviors maintained by positive reinforcement are placed on extinction when those behaviors do not produce the reinforcer.

Extinction of Behavior Maintained by Negative Reinforcement

maintained by negative reinforcement are placed on extinction (escape extinction) when those behavior do not produce a removal of the aversive stimulus, meaning that the person cannot escape from the aversive situation.

Extinction of Behavior Maintained by Automatic Reinforcement

Behaviors maintained by automatic reinforcement are placed on extinction (sensory extinction) by masking or removing the sensory consequence.

See examples page 460

Extinction Effects = When a previously reinforced behavior is emitted but is not followed by the usual king consequences, the occurrence of that behavior should either gradually decrease to its pre-reinforcement level or stop entirely.

Gradual Decrease in Frequency and Amplitude

Extinction produces a gradual reduction in behavior

ten difficult for teachers and parents to apply because of the initial increase in frequency and magnitude and the gradual decrease in behavior.

Extinction Burst

Immediate increase in the frequency of the response after the removal of the positive, negative, or automatic reinforcement.

"An increase in responding during any of the first three treatment sessions above that observed during all of the last five baseline sessions or all of baseline"

Extinction Bursts usually suggest that the reinforcers maintaining the problem behavior was successfully identified, indicating that there is a good chance of an effective intervention.

Initial Increase in Response Amplitude

An initial increase in the amplitude or force of the response also may occur during extinction.

Spontaneous Recovery

When a behavior reappears after it has diminished to its pre-reinforcecment level or stopped entirely.

With spontaneous recovery, the behavior that diminished during the extinction process recurs even though the behavior does not produce reinforcement.

Spontaneous recovery is short-lived and limited if the extinction procedure remains in effect.

Variables Affecting Resistance to Extinction

Resistance to extinction: Continued responding during the extinction procedure. Behavior that continues to occur during extinction is said to have greater resistance to extinction than behavior that diminishes quickly.

Three methods are commonly used to measure resistance to extinction. Two are described in the book:

The rate of decline in response frequency

The total number of responses emitted before responding either attains some final low level or ceases.

Continuous and Intermittent Reinforcement