Decreasing a Behavior with Extinction

1. Decreasing a Behavior with Extinction Chapter 5

2. Extinction • When a response (previously reinforced) not followed by reinforcement, person is less likely to engage in behavior again

3. Extinction

4. Factors Influencing the Effectiveness of Extinction • Controlling reinforcers for the behavior that is to be decreased • Reinforcers from others or from environment can undo extinction • Make sure that the reinforcers you are withholding are actually the ones maintaining the behavior • Extinction combined with positive reinforcement for an alternate behavior • Extinction most effective when alternate behavior is reinforced • Setting in which extinction is carried out • Minimize the influence of alternative reinforcers on the undesirable behavior (from others in the old setting) • Maximize the chances of the behavior modifier persisting with the program

5. Factors Influencing the Effectiveness of Extinction • Instructions: Make use of rules • May speed up behavior change • Extinction may be quicker after continuous reinforcement • When behavior was constantly reinforced, quick to extinction • Intermittent reinforcement may lead to slower extinction • Behaviors slow to extinguish are said to be slow to extinction • Behavior being extinguished might get worse before it gets better • Extinction burst – increase in responding during extinction • In situations where extinction burst may be harmful, need to take preventative measures or extinction should not be used • Extinction may produce aggression • Aggression lower in programs that reinforce alternative behaviors • Extinguished behavior may reappear after a delay • Spontaneous recovery – reappearance of an extinguished response • Typically less behavior reappears than was originally present

6. Pitfalls • Extinction program might be undone by other, less knowledgeable people

7. Pitfalls of Extinction

8. Guidelines for Effective Application of Extinction • Select behavior to be decreased • Be specific • Select proper location (behavior might get worse before getting better) • Select behavior for which you can control the reinforcers maintaining it • Preliminary considerations • Keep track of how often behavior occurs before extinction • Identify current reinforcers • Identify desirable alternate behavior • Identify effective reinforcers for the desirable alternate behavior • Select setting in which extinction will work best • Let all relevant individuals know what is going on (what is being extinguished and what is being reinforced)

9. Guidelines for Effective Application of Extinction • Implementing the Plan • Tell the individual about the plan before starting • Use rules of reinforcement if rewarding alternate behavior • Be consistent • Weaning from the program • Be prepared for occasional relapses • Three possible reasons for failure: • Attention withholding is not the reinforcer • Undesirable behavior is receiving intermittent reinforcement from another source • The desired alternative behavior has not been strengthened sufficiently