What does extinction achieve in behavior modification?

Extinction in behavior modification refers to the process of reducing or eliminating a specific behavior by ceasing to reinforce that behavior. When an undesired behavior is no longer reinforced with rewards or positive outcomes, it tends to diminish in frequency over time. This principle is based on the understanding that behaviors often increase when they are consistently followed by reinforcement, and conversely, they decrease when reinforcement is removed.

In this context, the goal of employing extinction is to weaken that particular behavior, making it less likely to occur in the future. For instance, if a child throws a tantrum to receive attention but the parent stops acknowledging the tantrum, over time, the child learns that this behavior will no longer yield the desired outcome (attention), which leads to its decrease.

The other options focus on different aspects of behavior modification that revolve around reinforcement or intervention to promote positive behavior rather than the lack of reinforcement associated with extinction. Enhancing a specific response, establishing new learned behaviors, or increasing social interactions all involve proactive strategies rather than the passive approach of removing reinforcement to weaken an undesirable behavior.