Which of the following scenarios exemplifies extinction?
A) Alexis is a former cocaine user. Now that she no longer uses, her hands no longer shake and her heart no longer pounds when she hears a car pull into her driveway, like her dealer used to do in his car.
B) Alexis uses cocaine. She no longer feels quite the same rush as she did when she fist started using.
C) Alexis is a former cocaine user in recovery. After a relapse, though, her hands shake and her heart pounds when she hears a car pull into her drive, like her dealer used to do in his car.
D) Alexis has relapsed on cocaine. She finds that she doesn't need quite as much of the drug to feel its effects as she did immediately before she stopped using the last time.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Extinction is the gradual weakening of a conditioned response when the conditioned stimulus is presented without the unconditioned stimulus. In this case, Alexis's conditioned response (shaking hands and pounding heart) to the conditioned stimulus (a car pulling into her driveway) is gradually weakening because she is no longer using cocaine (the unconditioned stimulus).

Which of the Following Scenarios Exemplifies Extinction