What phenomenon is demonstrated when students reduce problem completion after losing an incentive?

• A. Extinction
• B. Shaping
• C. Stimulus discrimination
• D. Stimulus generalization

Answer: (A)

The phenomenon demonstrated when students reduce problem completion after losing an incentive is best described as extinction. Extinction in operant conditioning occurs when a previously reinforced behavior is no longer reinforced, leading to a decrease in that behavior over time. When the students were motivated by an incentive to complete problems, they likely engaged in that behavior consistently. However, once the incentive was removed, the reinforcement that maintained their high level of problem completion disappeared. Consequently, their motivation to complete the problems diminished, illustrating the principles of extinction.

In this context, the reinforcement loss leads to a decline in behavior, as the students no longer find the incentive compelling enough to engage in the task. Understanding this dynamic is crucial in behavioral psychology as it emphasizes the role of reinforcement in sustaining certain behaviors and how its absence can lead to a reduction in those behaviors.