Which among the following is true about the process of extinction of behavior in classical conditioning?

Correct option is B

The correct answer is Option 2 (Gradual diminishing of CR) because extinction in classical conditioning refers to the gradual weakening and disappearance of a conditioned response (CR) when the conditioned stimulus (CS) is repeatedly presented without the unconditioned stimulus (UCS).

Information Booster

• Extinction in classical conditioning occurs when a CS is repeatedly presented without the UCS, leading to a decrease in the CR.
• Spontaneous recovery is when an extinguished CR reappears after a rest period, indicating that learning is not completely erased.
• Reconditioning happens when a previously extinguished CS-UCS association is relearned faster than the initial learning phase.
• Generalization occurs when similar stimuli to the original CS also trigger the CR.
• Discrimination allows an organism to differentiate between similar stimuli, responding only to the specific CS.
• Extinction does not mean unlearning; instead, the association becomes inhibited rather than erased.
• Higher-order conditioning can make extinction more complex, as multiple stimuli may contribute to the CR.