What is an extinction burst?: A case study in the analysis of transitional behavior
An extinction burst is not automatic—write down exactly how and when you measure or you may see a ghost spike.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Katz and colleagues wrote a conceptual paper, not an experiment.
They asked: what counts as an extinction burst?
They combed past studies and showed the label is used too loosely.
To call a spike a burst you must know three things: the old reinforcement schedule, the exact minute extinction starts, and the size of the measurement window.
What they found
The review found no single definition fits every case.
A short jump in behavior can look big on a one-minute graph but vanish on a daily graph.
Without clear rules we over-count bursts and scare clinicians away from extinction.
How this fits with other research
Katz et al. (2020) ran pigeon tests the year before.
They saw bursts only when they scored minute-by-minute and switched sharply from rich food to no food.
Same team, same idea: the measurement window decides the answer.
Lerman et al. (1995) scanned 113 data sets and saw bursts 24 % of the time.
Muething et al. (2024) repeated the count in 108 clinic cases and hit the same 24 %.
The conceptual paper warns: do not treat that number as fate; it still depends on how you slice the data.
Shahan et al. (2025) later showed big alternative reinforcers shrink or erase bursts.
This supports the review’s call to treat each case as context-specific, not a coin flip.
Why it matters
Before you write “extinction burst” in a report, list the baseline schedule, the switch method, and your recording interval.
If the spike is only visible minute-by-minute, say so.
This habit keeps your data honest, calms worried parents, and helps the team decide whether to add alternative reinforcement or ride out the blip.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Among the tactics of experimental science discussed by Sidman (1960) were those used to study transitional behavior. Drawing from his insights, this review considers an often cited but infrequently analyzed aspect of the transition from reinforcement to extinction: the extinction burst. In particular, the review seeks to answer the question posed in its title. The generic definition of an extinction burst as an increase in response rate following the onset of extinction is found to be wanting, raising more questions than it answers. Because questions of definition in science usually come down to those of measurement, the answer to the title's question is suggested to be found in how behavior prior to extinction is maintained and measured, when and how extinction is introduced, and where in time and how behavior early in extinction is measured. This analysis suggests that a single, uniform, and precise definition of the extinction burst is misguided. Examining how each of these facets contributes to what has been described generically as the extinction burst is a small, but important, part of Sidman's methodological legacy to the experimental analysis of behavior.
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 2021 · doi:10.1002/jeab.642