Which phenomenon occurs when extinction is first implemented, showing a temporary increase in the target behavior before decreasing?

• A. Extinction Burst
• B. Extinction
• C. Fixed Interval
• D. Generalized Behavior Change

Answer: (A)

When extinction is first implemented, the target behavior often shows a temporary increase before it declines. This initial surge happens because the behavior was previously reinforced, and removing that reinforcement leads the learner to intensify or escalate the behavior in an attempt to obtain it. The burst is typically short-lived, and with continued extinction (and ideally reinforcement for an alternative, appropriate response), the behavior gradually decreases. This phenomenon is important for practitioners to anticipate, so they can stay consistent and support the learner with functional communication or alternative strategies rather than reintroducing reinforcement by accident.

The other concepts don’t describe this immediate spike: extinction refers to withholding reinforcement and generally leads to a gradual decrease rather than a brief surge; a fixed interval is a schedule of reinforcement rather than a phenomenon tied to the extinction process; generalized behavior change describes broader changes across behaviors rather than the specific temporary increase in the target behavior.