Escape extinctionExtinction is an effective technique used to reduce unwanted behaviors by removing the reinforcement that maintains them. Though the behavior may temporarily increase during the process (extinction bu... More is a behavioralBehavioral refers to one of the seven dimensions of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), which emphasizes that the behavior selected for intervention must be observable, meas... More strategy used in AppliedApplied means that the behaviors targeted for change in ABA are important and meaningful in everyday life, helping to improve the person’s quality of life or social functioning. Example A ... More BehaviorBehavior refers to any activity or action that living organisms engage in, which can be observed, measured, and analyzed. It encompasses all interactions an organism has with its environment, inc... More Analysis (ABA) to reduce or eliminate behaviors that are maintained by escape or avoidance of a task or demand. In this procedure, the individual is no longer allowed to escape or avoid the task following the occurrence of the undesired behavior. Instead, the task or demand remains in place until it is completed, teaching the individual that engaging in the challenging behavior will not result in escaping the task.
Example
A student named Sarah frequently throws tantrums when asked to complete her math homework, and as a result, her teacher or parents often allow her to stop the task or take a break. This reinforces the tantrum behavior because it allows Sarah to avoid the homework. To implement escape extinction, Sarah’s teacher decides that when a tantrum occurs, the task will not be removed. Instead, Sarah is required to stay with the homework until it is completed. Although her tantrums may initially increase (extinction burstAn Extinction Burst refers to a temporary increase in the frequency, intensity, or duration of a behavior when the reinforcement that previously maintained the ... More), over time, Sarah learns that tantrums no longer result in escape from the task, and the behavior decreases.
Extinction, Attention ExtinctionAttention Extinction, also known as planned ignoring, is a strategy used in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) to decrease the frequency of a behavior by withholding attention or other reinforcing respon... More