Description of The Strategy

Description Of The Strategy
Extinction is a behavior modification procedure used to decrease the frequency with which a
behavior occurs. The basic idea is a relatively simple one: If the reinforcer(s), positive or
negative, maintaining a behavior are removed, the behavior will decrease. Extinction occurs
often in daily life (e.g., a child stops pressing the buttons on a handheld video game shortly
after the batteries run out) and is regularly used with-out explicit recognition (e.g., when
children who reinforce each others' deviant behavior are placed in separate groups on a school
field trip). In this entry we will focus on the explicit use of extinction to decrease problem
behavior.
The use of extinction involves two steps. The first step is to determine the reinforcer
maintaining the problem behavior. When possible, relevant functional assessment
methodologies should be utilized. However, sometimes assessment of the reinforcer(s)
maintaining the behavior must be done via naturalistic observation or, depending on the
setting, caretaker descriptions during a clinical interview.
Once the reinforcer maintaining the problem behavior has been identified, the second step in
implementing extinction is to stop the delivery of the rein-forcer. In discontinuing the
relationship between the problematic response and the reinforcer, it is impor-tant to note that
the behavior of the person implementing the procedure will differ, depending on whether a
positive reinforcer (e.g., tantrums result in the child getting what he or she wants) or negative
reinforcer (e.g., tantrums result in the removal of parental demands) is maintaining the
problem behavior. Discontinuing a positive reinforcer involves withholding it (e.g., no longer
acquiescing to the child's wants), while discontinuing a negative reinforcer involves failing to
remove it (e.g., maintaining the demands despite the tantrum).
Research Basis
Extinction has been the focus of a great deal of nonhu-man animal research and is receiving
increased attention by applied researchers. Extinction is a component in many effective
behavior change interventions, offering a nonpunishment-based method for decreasing
problem behavior. As mentioned earlier, extinction involves identifying and discontinuing the
reinforcer maintaining the problem behavior. In practice, however, extinction is often most
effective when combined with reinforcement procedures. Most commonly, extinction is
coupled with reinforcement of an alternative replacement behavior (e.g., tantrums are no
longer reinforced, but the child may be reinforced for politely asking for things he or she
desires such as juice or snacks), reinforcement of any other behavior (e.g., tantrums are no
longer reinforced, but the child earns a quarter toward purchase of a small item at the end of
the shopping trip for each 5-minute period that he or she is tantrum free), or noncontingent
presentation of reinforcers (e.g., self-injury no longer produces attention, but the child is given
attention every 30 seconds).
Extinction weakens performance of behavior but does not completely wipe out or erase prior
learning. The weakening effect of extinction is generally gradual, requiring consistent
implementation and a number of nonreinforced instances of the behavior for extinction to
have its effects. No new behavior is directly trained via extinction; hence its frequent use in
conjunction with reinforcement-based procedures. While combining extinction and
reinforcement-based procedures often expedites the decline of the problembehavior (and may
help reduce some of the side effects of extinction discussed below), at times it is unclear
whether the problem behavior has really been weakened or is simply not occurring because
the alternative procedures have altered the opportunity or motivation to engage in the problem
behavior. The concern is that the problem behavior will reoccur at the next available
opportunity (e.g., when in a new setting) or when the motivational conditions change (e.g.,
when other reinforcers are not available). Thus, it appears important that, when possible,
procedures are maintained across settings and that the alternative behaviors trained to replace
those being extinguished are ones that are likely to produce consistent rein-forcement across
settings.
The extinction process may also be expedited when it is readily detectable to the child that
conditions have changed. For instance, with a child who has sufficient receptive language
skills, the procedure, and any incentives, can be described to the child. Of course, the verbal
description must be backed up by consis-tent implementation across relevant settings.
Relevant Target Populations, Target Behaviors, And

Exceptions
Extinction is most appropriate for behaviors main-tained by identifiable and removable
reinforcers. Because of the development of functional assessment methods that allow for the
careful determination of the reinforcers maintaining many aberrant behaviors, much of the
research on extinction comes from intervention studies attempting to reduce maladaptive
behavior engaged in by some individuals with mental retardation, brain injury, autism, or
other developmental disabilities. However, extinction can and has been incorporated in
behavior modification and parent training interventions for reducing child problems like
excessive whining or complaining, task refusal, and bedtime refusal. Parents learn to ignore
whining and complaining and maintain expectations that the child comply with expected
demands. Parents do not attend to, or wait progressively longer intervals to attend to, a child
that is not settling at bedtime. Some parent training interventions teach parents to avoid power
struggles, prolonged arguments, and extended tantrums by ignoring attention-getting
responses of the child that often begin such aversive give-and-take sequences. (Positive
attention, reinforcement for appropriate behavior, and other contingency management
strategies are also incorporated as necessary.)
One circumstance where extinction appears inappropriate is with aberrant behavior that is
automatically reinforcing (via its immediate sensory effects), because it can be very difficult
to block or remove access to these reinforcers. Some researchers have developed ingenious,
minimally invasive ways to stop the automatic sensory properties of some behaviors of
developmentally disabled individuals, but this is very difficult to do. Another potential
exception is with extreme self-injurious behavior or any other behavior that places the
individual, or others, at significant danger or risk. Extinction takes some time to be effective,
and it is not ethical to allow a behavior to con-tinue that might cause significant bodily harm
to the individual or to others. It is important to recognize that these may be the more extreme
cases, as extinction has been employed effectively in the treatment of numerous self-injurious
behaviors.
Complications
When using extinction, one must be aware of and be prepared for the possibility of an
extinction burst (i.e., a temporary initial increase in frequency, duration, and/or intensity of
the problem behavior) or extinction-induced aggression or agitation (i.e., an emotional
reaction to the onset of extinction). It is important to be prepared for these side effects of
extinction such that the procedure is not discontinued prematurely, unwittingly reinforcing
escalation of the problem behavior. These side effects tend to dissipate relatively quickly and
appear significantly less likely when reinforce-ment-based procedures are combined with
extinction.
Because extinction often requires tolerating a short-term surge in the problem behavior, it may
be difficult for some to implement. For example, it may be challenging for parents to allow
their child to cry and fuss when extinguishing nighttime settling problems.
Finally, sometimes even when an extinction procedure appears to have been initially
successful, the behavior seemingly spontaneously appears again. This is often temporary and
happens upon initial reentry into a setting where extinction has occurred. However, if the
reappearance of the problem behavior continues, it is necessary to once again examine the
contingencies surrounding the behavior. Sometimes a source of rein-forcement (e.g., other
caretakers) was missed or multiple reinforcers are maintaining the behavior.
Scott T. Gaynor Reber and Amanda Harris
Further Reading
Entry Citation:
Reber, Scott T. Gaynor, and Amanda Harris. "Extinction." Encyclopedia of Behavior
Modification and Cognitive Behavior Therapy. 2007. SAGE Publications. 15 Apr. 2008.
<http://sage-ereference.com/cbt/Article_n2049.html>.

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What is extinction and how is it used?

What are some potential complications of using extinction?

Description Of The Strategy

Relevant Target Populations, Target Behaviors, And

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