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Dog Training Workshop, and an element of the Dog Science Network


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Extinction Burst

Sometimes when extinction procedures are used, a behavior that has been conditioned out of existence will abruptly spring back to life, as you see in the case of an old boyfriend who suddenly starts calling again, long after having already accepted the brush off.

You will sometimes see a similar thing with dogs where they will suddenly resume the old problem behavior even though no one has reinforced them for it in a long time.

When extinct responses spring back to life after they have already been extinguished by way of an extinction procedure, the sudden resurgence in the targeted response is called an extinction burst.

When extinguished responses reappear in that fashion, if you just continue to withhold the reinforcers, they will quickly extinguish again.

Each time a resurgent behavior is met anew with an extinction procedure (a withholding of the rewards), it will extinguish more readily than it did on previous occasions.


Go to the index of the Glossary of Terms


This page is a component of the Glossary of the Dog Science, CBC
Dog Training Workshop, and an element of the Dog Science Network