Early-extinction effects on a force response of humans

Area of Science:

• Behavioral psychology
• Operant conditioning

Background:

• Extinction bursts, characterized by an increase in response rate or intensity after reinforcement withdrawal, are a key phenomenon in operant conditioning.
• However, the generality and precise criteria for demonstrating extinction bursts in humans remain debated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate changes in response force immediately following the elimination of reinforcement in human participants.
• To examine the influence of reinforcement value (points vs. money) and task difficulty on extinction burst phenomena.

Main Methods:

• Three experiments involved participants exerting force on a pressure sensor, with reinforcement (points or money) contingent on meeting a force criterion.
• Reinforcement was withdrawn during an extinction phase, and response force was measured.
• Different force criteria and reinforcement conditions were manipulated across experiments.

Main Results:

• Increases in response force during extinction were observed in most participants, particularly when analyzed over short intervals.
• These force increases were not systematic across or within participants, and were less pronounced with longer analysis intervals.
• The magnitude and consistency of the increases varied depending on the experimental conditions.

Conclusions:

• The findings question the generality and consistency of extinction bursts in human force responding.
• The results suggest that current criteria for demonstrating extinction bursts may need refinement.
• Further research is needed to understand the factors influencing the occurrence and variability of extinction bursts.