Question 72

The crying behavior stops when the parent no longer responds to it.

Extinction of the crying behavior occurs when the reinforcement (in this case, parental attention) is removed. When the parent no longer responds to the child's crying, the behavior is likely to diminish over time.

A) The crying behavior is extended to crying during outside activities.

This option does not illustrate extinction. Instead, it suggests that the child is generalizing the crying behavior to other contexts, which indicates that the crying may still be reinforced in some way rather than extinguished.

B) The crying behavior stops when the child is punished for doing it.

While punishment may decrease the crying behavior, it does not represent extinction. Extinction specifically involves the cessation of reinforcement, whereas punishment introduces a negative consequence that can lead to behavior suppression.

C) The crying behavior stops when the parent no longer responds to it.

This option accurately describes extinction. By withholding attention when the child cries, the parent removes the reinforcement for that behavior, leading to a decrease in the frequency of crying over time.

D) The crying behavior is repeated at a relative's home.

This option indicates that the crying behavior persists in a different environment, suggesting that it may still be reinforced elsewhere. It does not demonstrate extinction of the crying behavior, as it implies that the child is still engaging in the behavior successfully in a new context.

Conclusion

The correct answer, option C, illustrates the principle of extinction as it describes the cessation of a behavior due to the removal of its reinforcement. Options A, B, and D either misrepresent the concept of extinction or suggest ongoing reinforcement, failing to meet the criteria for behavior extinction. Thus, only option C directly addresses the question regarding the extinction of the crying behavior.