What Is Extinction?
Extinction is a procedure in which reinforcement that previously maintained a behavior is no longer provided, resulting in a decrease in the future probability of that behavior. It is not the same as ignoring behavior; extinction requires identifying and withholding the specific reinforcer that maintains the target behavior.
The type of extinction procedure depends on the function of the behavior:
- Attention extinction: Withholding attention following the target behavior (when the behavior is maintained by attention)
- Escape extinction: Preventing escape from demands following the target behavior (when the behavior is maintained by escape)
- Tangible extinction: Withholding access to tangibles following the target behavior (when the behavior is maintained by access to tangibles)
Automatic reinforcement cannot be directly extinguished through social means because the reinforcement is produced by the behavior itself, independent of social mediation.
Characteristics of Extinction
Extinction Burst
When extinction is first implemented, there is often a temporary increase in the frequency, duration, or intensity of the target behavior. This phenomenon is called an extinction burst. The individual is essentially "trying harder" to produce the reinforcement that the behavior previously generated.
Example: A child who typically cries for 2 minutes to gain parental attention may cry for 10 minutes during the first extinction session. The increase in crying is the extinction burst.
Extinction bursts are predictable and temporary. Informing caregivers about extinction bursts before implementation is essential so they are prepared and do not inadvertently reinforce the escalated behavior.
Spontaneous Recovery
After a behavior has been extinguished, it may temporarily reappear after a period of time has passed without the behavior occurring. This is called spontaneous recovery. The behavior typically returns at a lower intensity than before extinction and will extinguish again more quickly if reinforcement continues to be withheld.
Resurgence
Resurgence occurs when a previously extinguished behavior reappears when the reinforcement for a more recently trained alternative behavior is reduced or eliminated. This is particularly relevant in clinical practice when thinning reinforcement schedules after functional communication training (FCT).
Gradual Reduction
Extinction does not produce an immediate cessation of behavior. Behavior decreases gradually over time, and the rate of decrease depends on the individual's reinforcement history. Behaviors that have been reinforced on intermittent schedules (partial reinforcement) take longer to extinguish than behaviors that have been reinforced on continuous schedules (the partial reinforcement extinction effect).
Clinical Considerations
When to Use Extinction
- As a component of a comprehensive behavior intervention plan that includes reinforcement for alternative behaviors
- When the function of the behavior has been identified through a functional behavior assessment
- When the reinforcer maintaining the behavior can be identified and consistently withheld
- When the temporary increase in behavior during an extinction burst can be safely managed
When NOT to Use Extinction Alone
- Dangerous behaviors: If the extinction burst could result in serious injury to the individual or others
- When reinforcement cannot be consistently withheld: Intermittent reinforcement during attempted extinction will make the behavior more resistant to future extinction
- Without a replacement behavior: Extinction alone does not teach the individual what TO do. It should always be paired with reinforcement for appropriate alternative behaviors
- For automatically reinforced behavior: The reinforcer cannot be withheld because it is produced by the behavior itself
Procedural Integrity
Extinction requires 100% consistency. Even occasional reinforcement of the target behavior during extinction (called intermittent reinforcement) will slow the extinction process and can produce a behavior pattern that is more resistant to future extinction. All caregivers, teachers, and team members must implement extinction consistently across all settings.
Extinction Combined With Other Procedures
Extinction is most effective and most ethical when combined with reinforcement-based procedures:
- Extinction + DRA (FCT): The problem behavior is placed on extinction while a functionally equivalent communication response is reinforced. This is the gold standard for treating functionally maintained problem behavior.
- Extinction + DRO: The problem behavior is placed on extinction while the absence of the behavior for a specified interval is reinforced.
- Extinction + NCR: The problem behavior is placed on extinction while the maintaining reinforcer is provided on a time-based (noncontingent) schedule to reduce the MO for the reinforcer.
Exam Tips
- Know the difference between extinction and punishment. Extinction involves withholding a reinforcer; punishment involves presenting an aversive or removing a reinforcer contingent on behavior.
- Remember that extinction is defined by the process (withholding the maintaining reinforcer), not by the procedure. "Ignoring" is only extinction if the behavior is maintained by attention.
- Be able to predict and describe extinction side effects (burst, spontaneous recovery, emotional responses) and their clinical implications.
- Understand why consistency is critical and what happens when extinction is implemented inconsistently.