An extinction burst is a temporary increase in the frequency, intensity, or variability of a previously reinforced behavior that often occurs immediately after reinforcement for that behavior is withdrawn, before the behavior eventually declines through extinction. For example, a vending machine that stops dispensing a snack after payment may prompt a person to press the button more times, more forcefully, or try new buttons, before they give up entirely. The burst is of particular practical concern in behavioral interventions, since a behavior appearing to get temporarily worse right after a consequence is removed can be mistaken for the intervention failing, when it is actually an expected phase on the way to the behavior's decline.
Facts
Classification
Type of Phenomenon Replication Standing Connections
In Branch
Source Extinction (psychology), Wikipedia
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Extinction Burst
Wikipedialead section, phenomenon-kind classificationQuote, lead section, phenomenon-kind classification
This behavioral phenomenon can be observed in both operantly conditioned and classically conditioned behavior.
2. FORRT: FORRT Replications and Reversals
FORRTEntry: Extinction burstsQuote, Entry: Extinction bursts
Extinction bursts. Extinction is an intervention procedure to reduce tantrum behaviours, by removing enforcement (eg. ignoring a child crying), and an extinction burst is a temporary increase in the frequency or intensity of that behavior. Statistics Status: mixed
Extinction (psychology), Wikipedia
In Branch: Behavioral Psychology, Lead sentenceQuote, In Branch: Behavioral Psychology, Lead sentence
Extinction in psychology refers to the gradual decrease and possible elimination of a learned behavior.
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