Which of the following is the best example of extinction?
A) After repeated presentations of the sound of a bell, a dog ceases to turn his head toward it.
B) A rat stops pressing a bar when food is no longer presented after a lever press.
C) Over a period of time, a man requires larger doses of drug Z to obtain the same effect.
D) As a result of brain damage, a woman enters a coma.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Extinction is the gradual disappearance of a learned response when a particular stimulus is no longer paired with a reinforcement. In option B, the rat stops pressing the bar because food is no longer presented after a lever press, which is a clear example of extinction. Options A, C, and D are not examples of extinction. In option A, the dog shows habituation, which is a decrease in response to a repeated stimulus. In option C, the man shows tolerance, which is a decrease in response to a drug after repeated use. In option D, the woman enters a coma due to brain damage, which is not a learned behavior.

Which of the Following Is the Best Example of Extinction