If a behavior continues to be exhibited in spite of the fact that no reinforcement is being given, it is likely that the behavior ____.
A) was created through multiple types of conditioning
B) has an underlying biological cause
C) has been previously reinforced every single time it occurred for many years
D) has been previously conditioned according to a partial reinforcement schedule

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This is an example of the partial reinforcement effect, where behaviors that have been conditioned through partial reinforcement (not receiving reinforcement every single time) are more resistant to extinction than those that have been conditioned through continuous reinforcement (receiving reinforcement every single time). Therefore, even when reinforcement is no longer given, the behavior may still persist because it was previously reinforced on a partial schedule.

If a Behavior Continues to Be Exhibited in Spite of the Fact