Extinction Behaviour

1. This assignment would require you to practice designing an extinction program to decrease

a behavioural excess (I chose Social Media Addiction)

2. You should select a behavioural excess of your own OR someone you know, and describe a

plausible program incorporating (a) extinction of the behavioural excess and (b) positive

reinforcement of a desirable alternative behaviour.

3. Your program should conform to the factors and guidelines for the effective use of

extinction (see Chapter 2), and you should try to anticipate any pitfalls or potential

problems.

4. You can refer to the following steps:

a) You should select one of the behavioural excess of their own, or of someone they

know, that they would like to decrease.

b) The behaviour chosen should be one for which it is possible to withhold the probable

maintaining reinforcers if instances of the behaviour occur during the extinction

program.

c) The behaviour selected should be defined in detail.

d) Discuss the program, how it will be set up, who will run it, and record the results, i.e.,

explain who will manage contingencies for the problem behaviour, who will manage

reinforcers for the desirable alternative behaviour, etc.

e) Explain how your program conforms to the guidelines and factors for the effective

application of extinction, as described in the lecture material.

f) Anticipate problems that might arise and indicate how they will be handled.

5. You must use the following headings / subheadings for your report:

Behaviour Chosen for Extinction Program [5 marks]

Problem behaviour to decrease [5 marks]

: Reinforcer to be withheld

: Alternative behaviour to increase

: Reinforcer to be applied

Outline of program design (contingencies, setting, etc.) [10 marks]

Guidelines and factors for effective use of principles (justify your program with relevant

guidelines) [10 marks]

Potential problems (if any) and how they might be handled [10 marks]

6. Please remember to cite and reference your work if you include any external resources,

according to the APA 7th edition.