EXTINCTION- PROCEDURES

According to APA, in classical conditioning, it is a procedure in which pairing of stimulus

events is discontinued,either by presenting the conditioned stimulus alone or by presenting the
conditioned stimulus and the unconditioned stimulus independently of one another
Example- Extinction in Pavlovian classical conditioning happens when a conditioned response
weakens because the conditioned stimulus is presented without the unconditioned stimulus. For
instance, if a dog associates a bell with food, ringing the bell without providing food leads to the
weakening of the dog's salivary response.

In operant conditioning, it is a procedure in which reinforcement is discontinued, that is, the

reinforcing stimulus is no longer presented; or the result of this procedure, which is a decline in
the rate of the formerly reinforced response
Example- In operant conditioning by Skinner, extinction occurs when a previously reinforced
behavior no longer produces the reinforcing consequence. For example, if a rat had been
receiving food (reinforcement) for pressing a lever, and this reinforcement is discontinued, the
rat will eventually stop pressing the lever as the behavior becomes extinct.

INTRODUCTION

The first crucial step in addressing problematic behaviors is extinction, which involves removing
the reinforcing consequences associated with the behavior. The rationale behind extinction is that
these behaviors persist because they are being reinforced in some way. To break the cycle of
reinforcement and reduce the behavior, it's essential to identify the specific reinforcing
consequence and then focus on eliminating or reducing it. By doing so, the behavior is no longer
reinforced, leading to extinction. In summary, extinction is a strategic approach aimed at
disrupting the reinforcement cycle to bring about a reduction in problematic behaviors.

FUNCTIONAL ASSESMENT:

An essential aspect for effectively implementing extinction procedures is the comprehensive

identification of antecedents and consequences related to the problem behavior. This process
plays a critical role in extinction by enabling the elimination of specific reinforcers tied to the
problematic behavior. It's important to note that this is an assumption-free process, as each
problem behavior may have unique reinforcers.

Individual variation in reinforcement is significant, meaning that the same behavior in different
individuals might be reinforced by different stimuli. For instance, aggressive behavior in one
child could be reinforced by parental attention, while in another child, it might be toys from
siblings. Moreover, contextual variation in reinforcement suggests that the same behavior
exhibited in different situations may be maintained by different reinforcers. For example, a
child's crying may be reinforced by parental help when tying shoes but reinforced by escape
when parents make a request.

Understanding the behavioral functions and reinforcers is crucial, as behavior may serve
different purposes in different contexts. Reinforcers can take the form of positive reinforcement,
involving the presentation of a stimulus, or negative reinforcement, where the behavior leads to
an escape from a stimulus. Recognizing and addressing these individual and contextual factors is
fundamental for a successful application of extinction procedures.

COLLECTING DATA TO ASSESS TREATMENT EFFECTS:

Observation and recording are crucial components of behavior modification, providing essential
insights into changes in the target behavior. Documenting problem behavior before and after
extinction implementation allows for evaluation of behavior decrease. Effective recording
requires a clear behavioral definition, reliable data collection methods, and establishing a
baseline for comparison. Collecting data across relevant settings aids in assessing behavior
changes and potential generalization. Long-term data collection is necessary for evaluating
behavior change maintenance and monitoring sustained improvement. In research, employing a
suitable design and ensuring observer reliability is crucial. If recorded behavior does not change
after treatment, reassessment and potential adjustments to the extinction procedure or problem
assessment are necessary for behavior decrease.

Reinforcing consequences encompass both social reinforcement, involving another person's

behavior, and nonsocial or automatic reinforcement, related to changes in the environment. The
success of extinction procedures is heavily dependent on accurately identifying the specific
reinforcer that sustains the problem behavior. It's crucial to recognize that reinforcers can take
various forms, including diverse stimuli or events, highlighting the need for a precise
understanding of what maintains the behavior to effectively implement extinction and break the
reinforcement cycle.

ELIMINATING THE REINFORCER AFTER EACH INSTANCE OF PROBLEM

BEHAVIOR:

Extinction is a critical step in behavior modification, involving the elimination of reinforcers

after instances of problem behavior. Successful implementation requires identifying specific
reinforcers, achieved through a functional assessment. Failure to do so can lead to incorrect
extinction procedures. Iwata's study on self-injurious behavior highlighted diverse reinforcers for
different children, emphasizing the need for individualized extinction procedures. For instance,
attention-reinforced head-banging involved withholding attention during the behavior,
escape-reinforced behavior required preventing escape during tasks, and automatically reinforced
head-banging used sensory extinction with a padded helmet, illustrating the importance of
tailoring extinction approaches for effective behavior modification.

ELIMINATING THE REINFORCER

After identifying the reinforcer through a functional assessment, the crucial next step is
determining control over the reinforcer. The change agent, such as a parent or teacher, must
ensure they can influence or manage the reinforcer. Extinction cannot be effectively implemented
if the change agent lacks control over the reinforcer. For instance, in the case of Willy's
noncompliance and sexist comments, staff members had control over the reinforcer (attention)
and could implement extinction by withholding it after problem behavior. Conversely, in the
example of a grade school boy's threats for lunch money, where the teacher lacked control over
the reinforcer, extinction couldn't be used, and alternative strategies may be necessary. Ensuring
control over the reinforcer is a critical factor for the success of extinction procedures.

IS EXTINCTION SAFE?
Before implementing extinction, it is crucial to consider the safety of the individual exhibiting
the problem behavior and others in the immediate environment. For example, in the case of
Rupert in a sheltered workshop displaying physically aggressive behavior, a functional
assessment identifies staff attention as a reinforcer. However, extinction, which involves
withholding attention after the problem behavior, is not suitable in this case. Immediate
intervention is required to prevent harm to others. Therefore, extinction is not considered a
suitable procedure for addressing Rupert's behavior, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing
safety in behavioral interventions.

EXTINCTION BURST:

Extinction often results in an extinction burst, where problem behavior intensifies. In the case of
a 5-year-old with bedtime tantrums seeking attention, parents can use extinction but need to
anticipate and tolerate the likely escalation during the burst. Parental preparedness is vital,
informing them about the expected increase in intensity and the need for persistence in
withholding reinforcement during the burst for successful extinction. If there's potential harm
during the burst, mitigation plans, such as protective gear or removing breakable objects, must be
in place. These precautions emphasize the importance of considering safety and providing clear
instructions to change agents, like parents, implementing extinction [Link]
implementing extinction procedures, it is crucial to assess the change agent's capability to persist
during an extinction burst. If there are doubts about their ability or concerns about preventing
harm during the burst, extinction should not be used. In such cases, alternative procedures for
decreasing the problem behavior should be considered and implemented, ensuring a safe and
effective approach tailored to the capabilities of the change agent.

CHARACTERISTICS OF EXTINCTION BURST:

An extinction burst involves a temporary increase in the frequency, duration, or intensity of

unreinforced behavior. During such bursts, novel behaviors may briefly emerge, accompanied by
emotional responses like anger or frustration, especially in children. It's important to note that
extinction bursts are not necessarily conscious strategies; individuals may not deliberately plan to
escalate their behavior. Despite the challenges, extinction bursts can serve a purpose,
occasionally obtaining the desired outcome and reinforcing persistence in trying alternative
behaviors. For example, in Amanda's bedtime crying scenario, her parents experience an
extinction burst where she may scream and hit her pillow before eventually ceasing to cry
altogether.

CONSISTENCY:

For extinction to be effective, the reinforcer must never follow the problem behavior,
emphasizing the importance of consistency. Even occasional reinforcement undermines the
extinction process. Lack of consistency is a common reason for the failure of extinction
procedures. Training all change agents involved in treatment is essential, providing clear
instructions and rationale for the importance of consistency. Modeling and rehearsal, along with
contingencies and monitoring, enhance understanding and implementation consistency.
Caregivers must be convinced to "buy in" to the procedure, and strategies for increasing buy-in
include good interpersonal skills, collaborative work during functional assessment, providing a
rationale, addressing common implementation problems, and ensuring fidelity to the planned
extinction procedure. Behavior analysts play a crucial role in training caregivers and ensuring
they find the procedure acceptable and likely to be followed.

SCHEDULE OF REINFORCEMENT BEFORE EXTINCTION:

The schedule of reinforcement before extinction influences the rate of behavior decrease.
Continuous reinforcement, where the behavior is reinforced every time it occurs, often leads to a
more rapid extinction compared to intermittent reinforcement, where reinforcement is on a
variable schedule. A study by Kazdin and Polster demonstrated that after continuous
reinforcement, extinction resulted in a quicker decrease in behavior compared to intermittent
reinforcement. The results suggest that implementing a brief period of continuous reinforcement
before extinction may enhance the effectiveness of the extinction procedure. This strategy
involves intentionally reinforcing the problem behavior for a short period before eliminating the
reinforcer, leading to more rapid effects of extinction.
REINFORCING ALTERNATING BEHAVIORS:

Extinction decreases the frequency of problem behavior, while reinforcement increases an

alternative behavior that serves the same function or results in the same reinforcing consequence.
Combining extinction with reinforcement helps prevent spontaneous recovery of the problem
behavior, as alternative behaviors producing the same reinforcing consequence make recurrence
less likely. Numerous research studies support the effectiveness of combining extinction with
differential reinforcement.

In the case of Anna, whose disruptive behaviors were reinforced by her mother's attention,
extinction was used for disruptive behavior, and reinforcement for a desirable alternative
behavior (asking her mother to play). The alternative behavior increased, replacing the disruptive
behavior, which decreased through extinction. It is crucial to always use a reinforcement
procedure alongside extinction or any other procedure aimed at decreasing problem behavior.
The focus in behavior modification is on developing functional, desirable behaviors that improve
a person's life in meaningful ways.

PROMOTING GENERALIZATION AND MAINTENANCE:

Generalization involves the problem behavior stopping and the alternative behavior occurring in
all relevant circumstances. For extinction to be effective, it must be consistently implemented by
all change agents across expected situations. Maintenance ensures that behavior change lasts
over time, requiring consistent implementation of the extinction procedure even after initial
suppression of the problem behavior. Reinforcing a functionally equivalent alternative behavior
consistently promotes generalization and maintenance. In the case of Willy, staff consistently
used extinction for refusals and sexist comments, withholding reinforcement in all instances. A
functionally equivalent alternative behavior was consistently reinforced, and plans were made to
use extinction again if the problem behavior recurred.

SPONTANEOUS RECOVERY:

Spontaneous recovery refers to the reappearance of a behavior after a period of absence,

especially in situations resembling where it was initially reinforced before extinction. This is
more likely in environments similar to those where the behavior was first reinforced. For
spontaneous recovery to persist, reinforcement must occur, but if extinction is still in place and
there is no reinforcement, the behavior won't last long.

In Amanda's example, she may occasionally cry at night even after extinction, but if her crying
receives no attention, it won't persist for long. There is a risk of lost effects if spontaneous
recovery happens, and the behavior is now reinforced, diminishing the impact of extinction. The
influence of intermittent reinforcement can increase behavioral persistence, making occasional
reinforcement a factor in the resistance to extinction in the future.

FUNCTIONAL VARIATIONS OF EXTINCTION:

Extinction following positive reinforcement: When a behavior is positively reinforced, extinction

means the person no longer gets the positive reinforcer following the behavior.
Example-
Sarah, a child with attention-seeking behavior, often interrupts her parents when they are on the
phone. Initially, her parents unintentionally reinforced this behavior by giving her attention to
stop the interruptions. However, they decide to implement extinction by no longer providing
attention when Sarah interrupts during phone calls. The positive reinforcer (attention) is
removed, aiming to decrease the interrupting behavior.

Extinction following negative reinforcement: When a behavior is negatively reinforced,

extinction means the person no longer escapes from the aversive stimulus following the behavior.
This variation of extinction is called escape extinction.
Example:
Alex, a student with a history of avoiding tasks, frequently displays disruptive behavior in the
classroom to escape academic demands. Previously, the teacher allowed him to leave the
classroom when he became disruptive. To address this, the teacher decides to use escape
extinction by no longer allowing Alex to escape from tasks when he displays disruptive behavior.
The aversive stimulus (academic demands) is no longer removed, aiming to reduce the disruptive
behavior.

PROCEDURAL VARIATIONS OF EXTINCTION:

Positive Reinforcement:
Occurs when a behavior is followed by adding a stimulus (positive reinforcer), strengthening the
behavior. Extinction involves withholding the previously delivered positive consequence after
the behavior.

Example:
Completing homework on time is positively reinforced by parental praise and a small reward.
Extinction would occur if praise and rewards are withheld after completing homework, leading
to a decrease in the behavior over time.

Negative Reinforcement:
Occurs when a behavior is followed by removing a stimulus (aversive stimulus), strengthening
the behavior. Extinction involves eliminating the escape or avoidance that reinforced the
behavior.

Example:
Lying is negatively reinforced by avoiding parental consequences. Extinction for lying involves
no longer allowing avoidance of aversive consequences, such as parents being aware of arrival
times.

For extinction to be effective, the specific reinforcer for the behavior must be identified and then
withheld. Without identifying and withholding the appropriate reinforcer, the extinction process
cannot function as intended.

FACTORS INFLUENCING EXTINCTION:

[Link] Schedule Before Extinction:

Continuous Reinforcement: Leads to a rapid decrease in behavior during extinction.
Intermittent Reinforcement: Results in a more gradual decrease during extinction, as it's harder
to discern the lack of reinforcement consistently.
Example - Vending Machine vs. Slot Machine:
-Continuous Reinforcement: Immediate decrease in behavior if the item isn't delivered after
paying (vending machine).
- Intermittent Reinforcement: Slower decrease as occasional jackpot reinforces continued
behavior (slot machine), making it harder to realize the lack of reinforcement.
Resistance to Extinction:
- Intermittent Reinforcement: Produces resistance to extinction; behavior persists after extinction
is implemented.
- Continuous Reinforcement: Results in less resistance to extinction, indicating less behavioral
persistence.

[Link] of Reinforcement After Extinction:

- Reinforcement during extinction or spontaneous recovery prolongs the decrease in behavior.

Example - Amanda's Crying:

- Crying at night decreases to zero after 14 days of extinction.
- Reinforcement on Day 13 by the babysitter leads to intermittent reinforcement, making the
behavior more resistant to extinction.

MISCONCEPTIONS:
Extinction Outcome:
Regardless of the type of reinforcement, the result of extinction is always the cessation of the
behavior. Extinction is not simply about ignoring the behavior; it involves withholding the
specific reinforcer for that behavior.

Example - Shoplifting:
If shoplifting behavior is reinforced by obtaining merchandise, simply ignoring the behavior
(e.g., by salespeople) won't necessarily make it stop.

Extinction, in this context, means withholding the specific reinforcer for the behavior, such as
preventing the shoplifter from obtaining the merchandise.