Introduction
Extinction is the psychological notion consistent with the ideas of punishment and reinforcement. It is an approach to terminate a behavior by depriving the individual of a reward, which can help the pattern persist through negative reinforcement (Cooper et al., 2020). Extinction is a frequently used strategy to help clients eliminate undesirable habits (Miltenberger, 2024).
This technique can be applied to both young and adult individuals. The difference lies in the level of self-control people of different ages can exhibit. In children, conscious self-regulation is lower than in adults (Miltenberger, 2024). The concept of extinction bursts describes activities that occur in addition to minimizing the harmful conduct. It is a typical extinction consequence, as the behavior increases immediately after the reinforcer is removed (Cooper et al., 2020). Therefore, the concept of extinction supposes that a learned reaction gradually decreases, leading to a reduction or cessation of the behavior.
Examples of Extinction
The first instance of extinction is when a parent buys everything for their crying child at the supermarket to halt the hysterical conduct. To prevent the child from screaming, the parent purchases the candy for them rather than telling them no. After making a few trips, these adults decide they will no longer buy candies to stop tears. When the youngster sees the item they desire in the supermarket, their behavior escalates, and they cry much more in an extinction burst until their behavior declines and eventually ends. Hysterical behavior in this situation ceases when the child learns that their parents will not respond to crying and that they need to behave appropriately.
In the second instance, an adolescent is asked to hand their smartphone to their parents due to poor concentration while studying, but then becomes aggressive. When teenagers who enjoy playing video games or scrolling through social media are asked to return their gadgets, they typically react aggressively, punching or throwing objects. It happens because the child receives rewards from online activities, including likes or positive peer feedback. The online activities were used as reinforcers, and as time passed, the behaviors worsened before improving. Extinction, in this case, is the habit that develops when adolescents learn to control their attention and time spent online, and their school results improve.
The third example is about a woman who used to smoke anytime she was anxious, but wanted to stop doing it. To cope with this habit, she found other coping strategies, so she hardly ever gets the desire to smoke. For example, she starts meditating and doing exercises to restore breathing. In this case, the extinction strategy is the gradual substitution of the habit that harms her health with an activity she considers harmless.
Conclusion
Extinction is a fundamental concept in behavioral psychology that describes the ability to stop a behavior without punishment. Extinction occurs when a desired reaction is not provided, leading to a decline in the behavior as the encouragement is removed. When trying to dissolve a pattern of conduct, this step is crucial.
Examples of changing negative behavioral patterns in children and adolescents demonstrate how the extinction technique can be used to alter their behavior. In these situations, the guidance of the adult individual who controls the minor’s behavior is vital. The case of smoking cessation through mediation is another example of extinction that adults can use to regulate their behavior consciously.
References
Cooper, J. O., Heron, T. E., & Heward, W. L. (2020). Applied behavior analysis (3rd ed.). Pearson.
Miltenberger, R. G. (2024). Behavior modification: Principles and procedures (7th ed.). Cengage Learning.