A Comparison of Resurgence During Three and Four-Phase Procedures

Abstract

Resurgence, or the reemergence of previously extinguished responding when current behavior is challenged, is typically studied using either a three or four-phase procedure. In three-phase procedures, a target response is reinforced (1); that response is extinguished while an alternative response is concurrently reinforced (2); and the alternative response is then placed on extinction (3). In four-phase procedures, a target response is reinforced (1); that response is extinguished absent of alternative reinforcement (2); the target response remains on extinction while an alternative response is reinforced (3); and the alternative response is then placed on extinction (4).Although both procedures have generated a wealth of data, some debate remains as to whether extinguishing the target response before reinforcing an alternative significantly impacts resurgence. To evaluate resurgence in three and four-phase procedures, the current study used a within-subjects approach with 12 rats. All animals completed training under both three and four-phase resurgence arrangements. Results showed markedly greater resurgence when animals completed a three-phase resurgence procedure compared to when a four-phase procedure was in effect. These findings potentially carry a range of implications both for the selection of procedures and for current theoretical models attempting to account for the mechanisms underlying resurgence behavior.