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Updated: Apr 13, 2026
11:17
Extinction Training During the Reconsolidation Window Prevents Recovery of Fear
Published on: August 24, 2012
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Method of stimulus combination impacts resistance to extinction
Christopher A Podlesnik1,2, John Y H Bai2
1Florida Institute of Technology and The Scott Center for Autism Research.
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior
|May 2, 2015
Summary
Combining stimuli on the same key initially increased resistance to extinction in pigeons. However, this effect diminished with repeated testing, while higher reinforcement rates consistently boosted resistance to extinction.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral psychology
- Animal cognition
Background:
- Reinforcing alternative responses increases resistance to extinction.
- Combining stimuli differently impacts extinction resistance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how combining discriminative stimuli affects resistance to extinction in pigeons.
- To compare the effects of combining stimuli on the same key versus different keys.
Main Methods:
- Pigeons were trained on target and alternative responses.
- Discriminative stimuli were combined either on the same key or across different keys.
- Resistance to extinction was measured under various stimulus-combination conditions.
Main Results:
- Combining stimuli across different keys decreased resistance to extinction.
- Combining stimuli on the same key initially increased resistance to extinction, but this effect waned with repeated testing.
- Higher overall reinforcement rates increased resistance to extinction regardless of stimulus-combination method.
Conclusions:
- The method of combining stimuli significantly influences resistance to extinction.
- Perceptual factors, contingency control, response competition, and behavioral momentum play roles in these outcomes.
- Behavioral momentum theory accurately predicts increased resistance to extinction with higher reinforcement rates.
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