If your dog was classically conditioned to wag his tail when you pick up a leash to go for a walk, what would extinguish this behavior?
A) taking him for a walk without his leash
B) repeatedly picking up the leash without taking him for a walk
C) using operant conditioning to teach him to recognize the word "walk"
D) Once learned, this behavior cannot be extinguished.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Classical conditioning behaviors can be extinguished by repeatedly presenting the conditioned stimulus (in this case, picking up the leash) without following it with the unconditioned stimulus (going for a walk). This breaks the association between the two stimuli.

If Your Dog Was Classically Conditioned to Wag His Tail