Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 24, 2026
09:00
Investigating Pain-Related Avoidance Behavior using a Robotic Arm-Reaching Paradigm
Published on: October 3, 2020
Resistance to extinction and behavioral momentum
1University of New Hampshire, USA. jnevin@cisunix.unh.edu
Behavioural Processes
|March 20, 2012
Summary
Behavioral momentum theory explains how reinforcement increases resistance to extinction. Higher reinforcer rates during training generally lead to greater resistance, with exceptions explained by training context.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral psychology
- Operant conditioning
- Learning theory
Background:
- Behavioral momentum metaphor posits reinforcement strengthens behavior, increasing resistance to disruption.
- Extinction is conceptualized as disruption via contingency termination and reinforcer omission.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test the behavioral momentum metaphor's predictions across different reinforcement schedules.
- To explain the partial-reinforcement extinction effect within the momentum framework.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of resistance to extinction in multiple and single schedules of intermittent reinforcement.
- Modeling the impact of reinforcer rate and training context on extinction resistance.
Main Results:
- Resistance to extinction increases with reinforcer rate in multiple schedules, aligning with the momentum model.
- The partial-reinforcement extinction effect is explained by the disruptive impact of continuous reinforcement termination.
- The model successfully accounts for extinction data in both multiple and single schedules.
Conclusions:
- Behavioral momentum theory provides a robust framework for understanding resistance to extinction.
- Response strength is positively correlated with the reinforcer rate during training.
- Contextual factors in reinforcement significantly influence extinction resistance.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Generalization, Discrimination, and Extinction
Generalization, discrimination, and extinction are key concepts in operant conditioning that influence how behaviors are learned and maintained.
Generalization occurs when a behavior reinforced in one context is performed in similar situations. For instance, a student who studies diligently for calculus and receives excellent grades might apply the same study habits to psychology and history, expecting similar results. Generalization shows how learning in one setting can influence behavior in...
Generalization occurs when a behavior reinforced in one context is performed in similar situations. For instance, a student who studies diligently for calculus and receives excellent grades might apply the same study habits to psychology and history, expecting similar results. Generalization shows how learning in one setting can influence behavior in...
01:05Instinctive Drift
Instinctive drift refers to the tendency of animals to revert to their innate behaviors despite repeated reinforcement. Breland and Breland demonstrated this concept in an experiment with a raccoon. The raccoon was trained to pick up two coins and place them in a container in exchange for food. Initially, the raccoon learned to associate the coins with food, making them a conditioned stimulus or a substitute for food. However, over time, the raccoon became less willing to put the coins into the...
01:14Avoidance Learning and Learned Helplessness
Avoidance learning and learned helplessness are critical concepts in understanding behavioral responses to negative stimuli.
Avoidance learning occurs when an organism learns that a specific behavior can prevent an unpleasant outcome. For example, a student who receives a bad grade may start studying harder to avoid future poor grades. This behavior persists even when the negative outcome is no longer present. Avoidance learning is powerful because it maintains behavior in the absence of the...
Avoidance learning occurs when an organism learns that a specific behavior can prevent an unpleasant outcome. For example, a student who receives a bad grade may start studying harder to avoid future poor grades. This behavior persists even when the negative outcome is no longer present. Avoidance learning is powerful because it maintains behavior in the absence of the...
01:23Principles of Classical Conditioning
Classical conditioning, as described by Ivan Pavlov, is a foundational concept in associative learning, where a neutral stimulus becomes capable of eliciting a conditioned response through association with an unconditioned stimulus. The process of acquisition, where this learning occurs, and the subsequent phenomena of contiguity, contingency, generalization, discrimination, extinction, and spontaneous recovery are crucial for a comprehensive understanding of classical conditioning.
During the...
During the...
01:28Behaviorism
The field of behaviorism was pioneered by figures such as Ivan Pavlov, John B. Watson, and B.F. Skinner fundamentally shifted the focus of psychology to the observable and controllable aspects of human and animal behavior. This shift marked a critical evolution in the discipline, emphasizing scientific rigor and experimental methodology.
The core premise of behaviorism is its focus on observable behavior rather than internal thoughts or feelings. This approach argues that true scientific...
The core premise of behaviorism is its focus on observable behavior rather than internal thoughts or feelings. This approach argues that true scientific...
01:25Self-Regulation
Self-regulation, also known as self-control, encompasses a range of cognitive and behavioral processes that allow individuals to adjust their internal states and outward actions to align with socially acceptable norms and long-term goals. It plays a fundamental role in adaptive functioning, from resisting impulsive behaviors to persisting through challenging tasks. While its benefits are widely recognized, self-regulation is not limitless. Muraven and Baumeister's theory posits that...