Certified Rehabilitation Counselor Practice

What occurs when reinforcement is withheld from a previously reinforced behavior?

1. Reinforcement

2. Extinction

3. Generalization

4. Habituation

The correct answer is: Extinction

When reinforcement is withheld from a previously reinforced behavior, this process is known as extinction. In the context of behavior modification, extinction occurs when the response that was previously reinforced no longer produces the reinforcing consequences. This results in a decrease in the frequency of that behavior over time. For instance, if a child receives praise every time they clean their room (the reinforcement), but the praise is stopped, the likelihood of the child cleaning their room in the future may diminish. This demonstrates the principle of extinction, showing how behaviors can weaken when their reinforcers are removed. The other terms do not apply in this scenario as they refer to different concepts. Generalization involves responding similarly to different stimuli, while habituation relates to a decrease in response to a stimulus after repeated exposure. Reinforcement, on the other hand, refers to the process of increasing a behavior through positive or negative consequences, which is not relevant to the context of withholding reinforcement.