Question

What happens to a behavior when it is accidentally reinforced during the extinction process?

A) It becomes more likely to occur.
B) It becomes less likely to occur.
C) It remains unchanged.
D) It depends on the specific behavior.

Answer 1

If a behavior undergoing extinction is accidentally reinforced, it becomes more likely to occur because the accidental reinforcement suggests to the organism that the behavior is still effective in obtaining a reward.

Step-by-step explanation:

During the process of operant conditioning, when a behavior that is undergoing extinction is accidentally reinforced, the likelihood of that behavior occurring again increases. This is because the reinforcement serves as a signal to the organism that the behavior is still effective in obtaining a reward or positive outcome, thus counteracting the extinction process which aims to reduce the behavior by withholding the reinforcement that originally encouraged it.

For instance, if a student is trying to stop snacking while studying by not allowing themselves a treat after each session, but one day they give in and have a snack, this accidental reinforcement may make it more likely that they will continue to snack while studying in the future. The correct answer to what happens to a behavior when it is accidentally reinforced during the extinction process is A) It becomes more likely to occur.