With extinction, how many responses are reinforced?

During the process of extinction in behavioral psychology, reinforcement is withheld from previously reinforced responses. This means that the behavior that was once reinforced no longer receives any form of reinforcement, whether it is a reward, acknowledgment, or any positive response that previously followed the behavior. As a result, in the context of extinction, no responses are reinforced.

Understanding the mechanics of extinction is crucial in behavior modification and skill acquisition, as it can significantly impact how a person learns or unlearns behaviors. When reinforcement ceases, the expectation that a behavior will lead to a desired outcome diminishes, often resulting in a reduction of that behavior over time. Thus, the correct answer highlights the complete lack of reinforcement for any responses during the extinction phase of behavior analysis.