Which extinction procedure focuses on reducing problem behavior maintained by attention by withholding attention?

Which extinction procedure focuses on reducing problem behavior maintained by attention by withholding attention?

• A. Tangible extinction
• B. Escape extinction
• C. Sensory extinction
• D. Attention extinction

Answer: (D)

Extinction here means stopping the reinforcement that has been maintaining the behavior. When the behavior is driven by social attention, the reinforcement is the attention itself. Attention extinction involves not giving attention after the problem behavior, effectively ignoring it, while still providing attention for appropriate, alternative behavior. Over time, the problem behavior is less likely to occur because it no longer produces the desired attention. Other extinction types target different reinforcers: tangible extinction withholds access to preferred items or activities, escape extinction prevents the child from escaping or avoiding demands, and sensory extinction reduces the sensory feedback that reinforces self-stimulatory or other repetitive behaviors.

Extinction here means stopping the reinforcement that has been maintaining the behavior. When the behavior is driven by social attention, the reinforcement is the attention itself. Attention extinction involves not giving attention after the problem behavior, effectively ignoring it, while still providing attention for appropriate, alternative behavior. Over time, the problem behavior is less likely to occur because it no longer produces the desired attention.

Other extinction types target different reinforcers: tangible extinction withholds access to preferred items or activities, escape extinction prevents the child from escaping or avoiding demands, and sensory extinction reduces the sensory feedback that reinforces self-stimulatory or other repetitive behaviors.