Ace the AAMC FL 2026 – Blaze Through Your Med School Dreams!

Operant extinction involves the disappearance of a behavior due to the removal of reinforcers that previously maintained that behavior. In operant conditioning, a behavior is reinforced when it leads to a positive outcome or reward. When these reinforcers are consistently taken away, the individual learns that their behavior no longer leads to reinforcement, resulting in a decline in that behavior over time.

This process highlights the importance of reinforcement in maintaining behaviors. For example, if a child receives praise for doing their homework but then stops receiving praise (the reinforcer) when they complete their homework, the likelihood of them continuing to do homework may decrease. The absence of reinforcement signals to the individual that the behavior is no longer effective in producing a desired outcome.

Understanding this concept is essential in various contexts, including education and behavior modification, where removing reinforcement can be utilized to reduce undesired behaviors.