What does extinction in behavioral terms refer to?

Extinction in behavioral terms refers to the process of eliminating reinforcers that maintain a behavior in order to reduce or terminate that behavior. In essence, when a previously reinforced behavior is no longer rewarded, the likelihood of that behavior occurring decreases over time. This is based on the principles of operant conditioning where behavior is influenced by the consequences that follow it. By withdrawing reinforcement, the strength of the connection between the behavior and its consequence weakens, leading to a gradual reduction in the occurrence of the behavior.

In this context, the other options do not align with the definition of extinction. For instance, reinforcing all behaviors does not address the concept of reducing a specific behavior. Continuous behavior reinforcement supports the continuation of a behavior rather than its termination. Unpredictable rewards promote sporadic behavior instead of extinguishing it. Therefore, the accurate definition of extinction focuses solely on the removal of reinforcers as a means to stop a behavior.