Which statement best describes extinction in organizational behavior?

• A. Replacing a desirable reward with a stronger reward.
• B. Ignoring a behavior that was previously reinforced.
• C. Punishing a behavior to suppress it.
• D. Providing a competing reward.

Answer: (B)

Extinction in organizational behavior means withholding reinforcement that was previously given for a behavior, so the behavior gradually fades because nothing reinforces it anymore. When the reinforcing consequence stops, the likelihood of that behavior occurring decreases over time. In the workplace, if interrupting during meetings used to earn attention or praise, and that attention is no longer provided, the interruptions tend to decline. This differs from punishment, which adds an aversive outcome to reduce a behavior; extinction simply removes the reinforcement rather than introducing punishment. It also isn’t about replacing rewards with a stronger reward, which would still reinforce the behavior, or about giving a competing reward to promote a different behavior. Therefore, ignoring a previously reinforced behavior best describes extinction.