Which statement about extinction is true?

Which statement about extinction is true?

• A. It increases the likelihood of the response when reinforced again
• B. It weakens the behavior by removing reinforcement
• C. It strengthens the conditioned stimulus
• D. It has no effect on learned responses

Answer: (B)

Extinction reduces a learned behavior when reinforcement stops. When a behavior that used to be reinforced no longer receives reinforcement, the motivation to perform that behavior wanes, and the behavior becomes less frequent over time. This is exactly what the statement describes: removing reinforcement weakens the behavior. It’s not about strengthening the stimulus or having no effect. In classic or operant conditioning, extinction typically means the response fades because the reinforcing consequence is no longer provided, and the relationship between the behavior and its consequence weakens. If reinforcement is later reintroduced, the behavior can often recover more quickly (reacquisition), but extinction itself is characterized by the decline in the behavior due to the loss of reinforcement.

Extinction reduces a learned behavior when reinforcement stops. When a behavior that used to be reinforced no longer receives reinforcement, the motivation to perform that behavior wanes, and the behavior becomes less frequent over time. This is exactly what the statement describes: removing reinforcement weakens the behavior.

It’s not about strengthening the stimulus or having no effect. In classic or operant conditioning, extinction typically means the response fades because the reinforcing consequence is no longer provided, and the relationship between the behavior and its consequence weakens. If reinforcement is later reintroduced, the behavior can often recover more quickly (reacquisition), but extinction itself is characterized by the decline in the behavior due to the loss of reinforcement.