Which statement describes the effect of intermittent reinforcement on extinction?

• A. It shortens extinction
• B. It increases resistance to extinction
• C. It has no effect on extinction
• D. It accelerates extinction

Answer: (B)

When reinforcement is given only sometimes, the behavior tends to persist longer even after reinforcement stops. This happens because the learner has learned that reinforcement isn’t guaranteed, so they keep responding in the hope that it will occur again. The absence of reinforcement is less decisive under partial reinforcement, making extinction slower and often followed by a brief surge in responding before it declines. In contrast, with continuous reinforcement, the association is clear and the behavior drops quickly once reinforcement ends. So intermittent reinforcement increases resistance to extinction.