Abstract
The resurgence of a previously extinguished response can be an undesired result when implementing behavioral interventions in applied settings. The present study evaluated in rats a potential strategy for reducing resurgence, arranging punishment as well as extinction for the initially reinforced response. Ten rats pressed a lever (the B1 response) that was initially established with food reinforcement, then extinguished. For half of the rats, electric shock punishment was also arranged for the B1 response. Subsequently, nose poking (B2) was established with food reinforcement, then extinguished. During extinction of B2, substantial levels of B1 responses, that is, of resurgence, were evident in four of five rats not exposed to punishment of the B2 response. Resurgence was evident in only one of five rats exposed to punishment. These results suggest that arranging concurrent punishment and extinction of inappropriate responding merits attention as a technique for reducing resurgence of that response in applied settings, although this strategy would be viable only if an innocuous and socially acceptable form of punishment proved effective.
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