extinction
ik-STINGK-shuhn
/ɪkˈstɪŋk.ʃən/
The gradual weakening and disappearance of a conditioned response when reinforcement stops.
In general English it means species die-out; in psychology it strictly means unlearning a response when rewards cease.
The story behind the word. Latin 'extinguere' originally meant to poke out or quench a fire. B.F. Skinner and early behaviorists adopted 'extinction' to describe smothering a conditioned behavior by cutting off the fuel (reinforcement) that kept it burning.
Word relationships
- disappearance: Disappearance is general, whereas extinction in psychology implies a specific process of withholding rewards.
- elimination: Elimination can be abrupt; extinction is usually a gradual unlearning process.
- acquisition: Acquisition is the initial learning stage of acquiring a behavior.
- reinforcement: Reinforcement strengthens responses, reversing or preventing extinction.
Commonly confused with
- forgetting: Forgetting is passive loss of memory over time; extinction is active unlearning caused by lack of reinforcement.
Word family
- extinguish (verb): To put an end to or erase a response or fire.
- extinct (adjective): No longer existing or active.
Collocations
- behavioral extinction
- extinction procedure
- extinction burst
- fear extinction
Idioms & expressions
- fading away
- dying out
Example sentences
- "When the researcher stopped giving food treats, the rat's lever-pressing behavior underwent extinction." Psychology
- "Extinction burst occurs when a child temporarily intensifies tantrums right after parents stop giving in." Behavioral Therapy
Memory hook
EXTINGUISH the reward to cause EXTINCTION of the habit. No fuel = extinction of the flame.
When not to use
Do not use in psychology to mean punishment; extinction is simply withholding the expected reinforcement.
Fun facts
- Even after extinction occurs, a conditioned response can suddenly return out of nowhere—a phenomenon called 'spontaneous recovery'!
Related words
Also appears in
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