After becoming bored with classically conditioning his roommate, Lloyd, to cringe at the sound of a squeaky drawer, Don decides to give Lloyd a break and he repeatedly squeaks the drawer without hitting Lloyd with a table tennis ball. What outcome is Don seeking?
A) Spontaneous recovery
B) Acquisition
C) Discrimination
D) Extinction

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Don is seeking extinction, which occurs when a previously conditioned response decreases in frequency and eventually disappears when the conditioned stimulus is repeatedly presented without the unconditioned stimulus. In this case, the conditioned response of cringing at the sound of the squeaky drawer would be expected to eventually disappear if Don repeatedly squeaks the drawer without hitting Lloyd with a table tennis ball.

After Becoming Bored with Classically Conditioning His Roommate, Lloyd, to Cringe