What is known as a sudden, temporary increase in a target behavior at the start of an extinction procedure?

The term that describes a sudden, temporary increase in a target behavior at the beginning of an extinction procedure is known as an extinction burst. When a behavior that has been previously reinforced is no longer followed by that reinforcement, individuals often exhibit a notable increase in that behavior for a short duration before it begins to decrease.

This phenomenon occurs because the individual may be attempting to regain access to the previously reinforced behavior, leading to more intense or frequent expressions of that behavior as they respond to the absence of reinforcement. An extinction burst is a crucial concept in understanding how behaviors are modified through extinction, as it highlights the persistence of behaviors when they are no longer rewarded. Recognizing this pattern is essential for practitioners to effectively manage behavior change interventions.