Resurgence and Behavioral Contrast, Compared and Contrasted
Resurgence is behavioral contrast during extinction—treat them as one effect and you can prevent response recurrence.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Lattal et al. (2024) wrote a narrative review. They compared two old effects: resurgence and behavioral contrast.
They asked, "Are these two different processes, or the same process wearing different lab coats?"
What they found
The authors argue the two effects are driven by the same rules. The only real difference is the procedure.
Resurgence is simply behavioral contrast that happens when reinforcement stops.
How this fits with other research
Boyle et al. (2018) urged applied teams to watch for contrast. Lattal’s group widens that call by showing contrast also hides inside resurgence.
Innis (1978) showed negative contrast in pigeons when one schedule paid more. Lattal uses that data to illustrate how the same swing can bring back old responses when pay ends.
Wesp et al. (1981) warned that testing contrast theories needs clean baselines. Lattal’s view respects that warning: if you want to predict resurgence, first map each schedule’s power.
Why it matters
If resurgence is contrast under extinction, you can prep for it. Map the reinforcers still running in the room. Then fade them together instead of cutting one cold. You may stop old problem behavior from popping back up.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
This is a review of the relation between operant response resurgence and behavioral contrast. Both are defined by rate changes in a target response as a function of environmental changes spatially or temporally distal to the location of the target response. The typical procedures for investigating these two phenomena differ in that (1) resurgence is studied using concurrent schedules and behavioral contrast predominantly with multiple schedules and (2) resurgence is assessed against an extinction baseline of the target response and behavioral contrast has been assessed under a variety of reinforcement schedules. The distinctions between concurrent and multiple schedules, however, may be ones of degree rather than kind. Research into both phenomena reveals considerable overlap in the controlling variables of the two. With certain caveats, resurgence appears to be an instance of behavioral contrast measured against an extinction baseline. Because of Point 2 above, most instances of behavioral contrast do not meet the definition of resurgence. Investigating resurgence while maintaining target responding by a schedule of reinforcement might be useful, but such a procedure would not qualify as resurgence because it violates the definition of resurgence as the return of a previously reinforced but currently extinguished response. Several implications of the similarities and differences between the two are discussed.
Perspectives on Behavior Science, 2024 · doi:10.1007/s40614-024-00408-2