In an operant conditioning experiment, a pigeon learned to peck at a blue disk to get a food pellet. The researcher then withheld reinforcement, and eventually the bird stopped pecking the disk. This example illustrates:
A)extinction.
B)the partial reinforcement effect.
C)learned helplessness.
D)the effect of negative reinforcement.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The scenario describes the process of extinction, where the behavior (pecking the blue disk) that was previously reinforced gradually diminishes when the reinforcement is withheld.

In an Operant Conditioning Experiment, a Pigeon Learned to Peck