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Extinction of classical conditioning: How did Pavlov's dogs learn again?
The extinction phenomenon of classical conditioning is used to explain how animals and humans forget certain behavioral responses. The famous Pavlov experiment revealed the learning process of conditioned reflexes, but over time, if there is no reinforcement stimulation, these learned behaviors will gradually disappear. This phenomenon is called "vanishing". However, could Pavlov's dogs completely forget a learned response?
Extinction is an important component of behavioral phenomena, particularly in operant and classical conditioning. When the conditioned stimulus no longer brings about the unconditioned stimulus, the conditioned response will gradually stop.
A key concept in the extinction process is the association between the conditioned stimulus (CS) and the unconditioned stimulus (US). For example, Pavlov's dogs initially salivated when they heard a click because the sound was closely associated with the presence of food. However, when the click is repeated without bringing in food, eventually the salivation response decreases or even disappears. This is a typical example of the disappearance of a conditioned reflex.
In humans, anxiety symptoms like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) reflect this failure of extinction because these individuals fail to extinguish conditioned fear responses. Researchers have many different views and theories about this phenomenon. Some believe that the extinction process is actually learning an inhibitory connection that masks the original excitatory connection.
The structure of an animal's brain is particularly important in the learning process of behavioral extinction. Research in recent years has pointed out that the amygdala, hippocampus and prefrontal cortex in the brain play an important role in this process. For example, neurons in the amygdala are inhibited by the neuropil during extinction in classical fear conditioning, a finding that is of particular importance for the development of new treatments for anxiety disorders.
The process of extinction requires that the behavior change must be done consistently. An effective extinction process occurs when the behavior no longer occurs in the presence of the extinction stimulus (such as a red light).
The process of extinction is not limited to conditioned reflexes. In operant conditioning, when the original reinforcement of the behavior is no longer provided, the frequency of the behavior will gradually decrease. For example, when a child learns to crawl under a table in order to get attention, but this behavior is then ignored, eventually the behavior will decrease or even disappear. The success of this process comes from the changes in the environment in which the behavior is faced.
In laboratory studies, Pavlov and other psychologists observed that when dogs were repeatedly exposed to stimuli that were no longer associated with food, the salivating behavior eventually disappeared. This means that extinction in classical conditioning may not be limited to the conditioned reflex itself but may also affect other behavioral patterns.
In the classroom setting, many teachers use the disappearing principle to manage student problem behaviors. When certain behaviors, such as persistent disruptions in class, are ignored, their frequency decreases and students benefit socially and academically.
Extinction is sometimes accompanied by a phenomenon called an extinction burst, which is a brief increase in response frequency followed by a gradual decrease in the behavior.
In addition, extinction processes can sometimes lead to increased variability in behavior, which in some cases can serve as an opportunity to shape new behaviors. When a person is unable to successfully open a door they may try different methods, such as shaking the doorknob or knocking. This variety of behavior can be an important learning process, especially when encountering difficulties.
In children with autism spectrum disorder, the disappearing technique is often used to alleviate self-injurious and aggressive behaviors. By ignoring certain inappropriate behaviors, therapists attempt to reduce the frequency of those behaviors. This shows that the disappearing apps have potential in a variety of contexts. Whether facing anxious patients or autistic people, lost learning shows its vitality and opportunity for relearning.
As we have seen, the process of extinction of classical conditioning is not only a behavioral issue, it also involves deep neural mechanisms and the wide application of psychotherapy. Given this complex process, do you think humans can use these learning principles to improve their behavior and emotions in their daily lives?
