Final answer:
The special aspect of nonreinforcement in extinction leading to an inhibitory S-R association is that subjects expect to receive reinforcement due to their past experiences. Once this reinforcement stops, the behavior that was previously reinforced begins to decrease. Therefore, the correct option is A.
Step-by-step explanation:
What is special about the nonreinforcement in extinction that produces an inhibitory S-R association is a. Subjects have an expectation of receiving the reinforcement based on previous history. This expectation is formed from the history of being reinforced for a certain behavior, and when reinforcement ceases, the behavior tends to decrease because the expectation is not met. In operant conditioning, behaviors are strengthened through rewards, or reinforcements, and weakened when these reinforcements are no longer presented, leading to extinction. For instance, if a behavior is consistently followed by a reward, the organism will be more likely to engage in that behavior. However, if the reward stops occurring after the behavior, the frequency of the behavior will gradually diminish.