What is extinction in operant conditioning?

• A. When a previously reinforced behaviour is no longer reinforced, causing the behaviour to decrease and eventually stop.
• B. When a behaviour is reinforced after varying intervals.
• C. When a behaviour spontaneously increases after a rest period.
• D. When a stimulus becomes reinforcing.

Answer: (A)

Extinction in operant conditioning happens when a behavior that used to be reinforced is no longer reinforced, so its frequency gradually declines and eventually stops. The reinforcement was the factor that increased or maintained the behavior, and removing it removes the motivation to perform the action. You might see a brief extinction burst at first, where the behavior spikes a bit before dropping, but the overall trend is a decrease. This is different from a reinforcement schedule (which describes how often and when rewards are given), spontaneous recovery (a temporary comeback after a rest period), or the idea that a stimulus becomes reinforcing (which would mean a new source of reinforcement is established, not removed).