In operant conditioning, extinction occurs when:

• A. A previously reinforced behavior is no longer followed by a reinforcing consequence.
• B. A conditioned response is strengthened by punishment.
• C. A neutral stimulus is repeatedly paired with an unconditioned stimulus.
• D. A behavior increases in frequency due to positive reinforcement.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of operant conditioning, which involves learning through consequences, where behaviors are influenced by reinforcements or punishments.
2. Recognize that extinction in operant conditioning specifically refers to the process where a behavior that was previously reinforced no longer receives reinforcement.
3. Identify that when reinforcement stops, the frequency of the previously reinforced behavior decreases over time, which is the essence of extinction.
4. Compare the options given: reinforcement stopping aligns with extinction, while strengthening by punishment, pairing stimuli (classical conditioning), and behavior increase due to reinforcement describe different processes.
5. Conclude that extinction occurs when a previously reinforced behavior is no longer followed by a reinforcing consequence, leading to a decrease in that behavior.