Applied Behavior Analysis Technician (ABAT) Practice Test

What is the purpose of respondent extinction?

1. To strengthen a conditioned response

2. To reinforce unconditioned responses

3. To unpair the stimulus-response relationship

4. To establish new behavior patterns

The correct answer is: To unpair the stimulus-response relationship

The purpose of respondent extinction is to unpair the stimulus-response relationship. This process involves repeatedly presenting a conditioned stimulus without the unconditioned stimulus that initially created the conditioned response. Over time, this leads to a decrease in the conditioned response as the individual learns that the conditioned stimulus no longer predicts the occurrence of the unconditioned stimulus. Essentially, the associations that were formed during the conditioning phase are broken down, leading to extinction of the previously learned response. By methodically altering this relationship, respondent extinction helps to reduce or eliminate the behavior that was initially elicited by the conditioned stimulus. In the context of the other choices, strengthening a conditioned response would be contrary to what extinction aims to achieve. Reinforcing unconditioned responses does not relate to the concept of extinction, which is specifically about the conditioned responses. Lastly, while establishing new behavior patterns can be part of behavioral interventions, it does not directly pertain to the process of respondent extinction as it focuses on unlearning existing responses rather than introducing new ones.