In ABA, what does extinction refer to?

• A. Introducing more reinforcement for the behavior
• B. Withholding reinforcement for a previously reinforced behavior
• C. Reinforcing the behavior on a fixed schedule
• D. Ignoring the behavior without any consequence

Answer: (B)

Extinction in ABA means withholding the reinforcement that previously maintained a behavior, so that behavior is no longer reinforced and tends to decrease over time. When the expected reinforcement is removed, the behavior typically diminishes, though you might see an extinction burst—a brief uptick in the behavior as the learner tests whether reinforcement will resume. This is distinct from punishment, which adds a consequence to reduce a behavior, and from simply reinforcing a different response or using a fixed schedule to maintain behavior. The best description here is withholding reinforcement for a previously reinforced behavior.