INBDE Practice Exam 2026 – Complete Study Guide

When the connection between behavior and its reward or punishment is discontinued, it is known as operant extinction. This means that the behavior that was previously reinforced or punished no longer has any consequence, causing the behavior to eventually diminish and stop occurring. This is different from classical extinction (A), which refers to the gradual disappearance of a conditioned response when the conditioned stimulus is no longer presented. Operant conditioning (B) is the process of learning through consequences, which can include rewards and punishments. Negative reinforcement (D) is a type of operant conditioning that involves the removal of an unpleasant stimulus after a behavior is exhibited, which increases the likelihood of that behavior occurring again in the future. None of these options accurately describe what happens when the connection between behavior and its reward or punishment is discontinued, making C the correct answer.