What does extinction training involve in the context of behavior modification?

Extinction training in behavior modification focuses on eliminating a specific behavior by removing the reinforcement that maintains it. When a behavior is reinforced—whether through rewards, attention, or other forms of stimulus—it is more likely to be repeated. In extinction training, that reinforcement is systematically withheld, leading to a decrease in the frequency of the undesired behavior over time. This process relies on the principle that behaviors that are not reinforced eventually fade away.

For example, if a dog barks for attention but does not receive any response when it barks, the lack of reinforcement (in this case, attention) will lead the dog to eventually stop barking as it learns that this behavior does not yield any rewards. This technique is commonly used in various animal training scenarios as well as in therapeutic settings for humans to decrease unwanted behaviors.

Other choices relate to different methods of behavior modification: increasing behavior frequency involves reinforcing the desired behaviors; providing rewards intermittently can actually strengthen behavior rather than eliminate it; and changing the environment to prevent behavior can help manage situations but does not specifically involve the principles of extinction training.