What does extinction mean in the context of operant conditioning?

In the context of operant conditioning, extinction refers specifically to the process in which a behavior that was previously reinforced is no longer followed by the reinforcing consequences that maintained it. When reinforcement is removed, the frequency of the behavior typically decreases over time until it eventually stops occurring altogether. This phenomenon is critical in understanding how behaviors can be unlearned or how responses can fade away when they are not reinforced.

For example, if a child receives praise for cleaning their room (the reinforcement) and then the praise is stopped, they may stop cleaning their room as a result. This demonstrates how important reinforcement is in maintaining a behavior.

Other choices may describe different aspects of behavior modification or learning but do not capture the essence of extinction. One choice refers to introducing new behavior, which is unrelated to the concept of stopping a previously reinforced behavior. Another choice talks about the reinforcement of unwanted behavior, which suggests an increase in frequency rather than a decrease. Lastly, the idea of consistent reinforcement over time does not pertain to extinction, as it implies maintaining rather than discontinuing a behavior.