Which process is used to reduce a behavior by withholding reinforcement until it stops?

• A. Extinction
• B. Positive Reinforcement
• C. Punishment
• D. Shaping

Answer: (A)

Extinction is used to reduce a behavior by withholding reinforcement until it stops. When a behavior that used to be rewarded no longer produces the reward, the motivation to perform that behavior fades and it gradually declines. For example, if a dog sits because it gets a treat, removing the treat when the dog sits will cause the sitting behavior to decrease over time. You may see a brief surge in the behavior at first (an extinction burst) before it fades. This differs from punishment, which adds something aversive to weaken a behavior, from positive reinforcement, which adds a reward to strengthen a behavior, and from shaping, which reinforces closer and closer attempts toward a new behavior.