Extinction is the process by which an organism, group, or species ceases to exist. It occurs when the last member of a species dies, though its capacity to reproduce may have ended long before. Hence, extinction is a fundamental learning phenomenon. This principle can be applied to many types of behavior.
It increases resistance to extinction
When a behavior persists even after a behavior is stopped getting reinforcement, it is said to be resistant to extinction. This can happen when a reinforcement schedule is intermittent, thin, or variable. Extinction is an important training tool, but it must be used in conjunction with replacement behavior.
CDPPB has been shown to reduce resistance to extinction. Its effects were compared with that of ethanol. In AIE rats, the drug reduced the time required to achieve extinction, and it reduced the number of sessions required. This suggests that CDPPB reduces the resistance to extinction and may enhance behavioral flexibility.
Extinction-induced resurgence occurs when a behavior is reduced and replaced by another, stronger one. A trainer can then pick out the new behavior to reinforce. This phenomenon has been studied in two captive porpoises trained to perform tricks for fish in 1992. Eventually, the animals escaped and were put on an extinction schedule. But in spite of the extinction schedule, they were able to perform tricks for golfers.
Global warming is predicted to increase extinction rates, but most predictions do not consider the plasticity of organisms’ behavior. While behavioral avoidance and physiological plasticity buffer organisms from climate change, there may be a limit to the amount of plasticity in organisms that can be absorbed by behavioral strategies.
