Discriminative properties of reinforcers modulate resurgence: A human‐operant demonstration

King et al. (2025) worked with autistic children and teens in a lab room.

First, the kids earned tokens for pressing one button. Then they switched to a new button that paid the same reward. Finally, both buttons stopped paying.

During this last extinction phase, the team quietly dropped free tokens into the tray. Half the time the free tokens came from the first button’s color (O1). The other half came from the second button’s color (O2). The question: which free-token color would stop the old button pressing from coming back?

Both free-token colors cut resurgence, but the original color (O1) worked a little better.

Kids pressed the old button less when the free tokens matched the old reinforcer. The alternative color (O2) still helped, just not as much.

Oliver et al. (2018) showed that shrinking the alternative reward brings resurgence back. King adds a new lever: the cue value of the reward itself.

Austin et al. (2015) warned that returning to the old room can revive problem behavior. King’s tactic gives you a tool for that moment: flood the room with the original reward cue, but noncontingently.

O'Reilly et al. (2008) used free tastes of the reinforcer to kill motivation for problem behavior. King flips the idea: use free tastes to block relapse after extinction.

You can now plan for the day when extinction alone stops working. Keep a jar of the same edibles or tokens that first reinforced the problem behavior. Hand them out for free when you see early resurgence. The child gets the cue, but not for the old response, and the relapse fizzles. It’s a five-second move you can teach parents and staff today.