TEMPORAL DYNAMICS OF EXTINCTION-INDUCED BEHAVIOR: A HUMAN-OPERANT ANALYSIS

Abstract

We examined the disruptive effects of unsignaled transitions to extinction in two-component mixed schedules on human-operant performance with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We document the temporal dynamics of operant performance and indices of behavioral flexibility during extinction. Across two studies, transitions to extinction were marked by changes in the microstructure of interresponse times underlying the target response. Decreases in the target response during extinction were attributed to a lengthening of pauses in between bouts of responding. Our results are consistent with nonhuman work from the basic laboratory demonstrating that extinction-induced behavior occurs in bouts and pauses, and further suggests that bout-initiation rates during extinction are influenced by motivational variables such as reinforcer quality. We discuss implications for applied research and clinical practice, particularly as it relates to the study of behavioral mechanisms underlying persistence in treatment-resistant self-injurious behavior.