Extinction may be quicker after continuous reinforcement than after intermittent reinforcement.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Continuous reinforcement involves rewarding a behavior every time it occurs, whereas intermittent reinforcement involves only rewarding the behavior sometimes. Because continuous reinforcement creates a strong association between the behavior and reward, when the reward is removed the behavior may extinguish more quickly than a behavior learned through intermittent reinforcement, which may take longer to extinguish because the subject is hoping that the reward will come eventually.

Extinction May Be Quicker After Continuous Reinforcement Than After Intermittent