Extinction Burst Pronunciation: /ɪkˈstɪŋk.ʃən bɜːrst/ (ik-STINK-shun BURST) Part of Speech: Noun
Definition: A sudden, short-term increase in a behavior when a reward or attention that used to follow it is taken away. This usually happens just before the behavior starts to disappear or stop for good.
Example: When a teacher stops responding to a student who always calls out answers, the student may call out even more at first—that’s an extinction burst—but then eventually stops when they realize it no longer works.