Extinction is a procedure designed to eliminate a behavior. Relapse is the recurrence of that old behavior. Pavlov explains such events in terms of competition between inhibitory and excitatory conditioning. Bouton offers a cognitive explanation. Relapse is due to the ambiguous meaning of the CSs.

This goal of this assignment is to have you examine a case of relapse from both perspectives. Think of a case involving the return of an undesired behavior (not necessarily involving drugs). Why did it occur according to Pavlov and Bouton? How would each go about eliminating the relapse?

If you can't think of a case, then go with the socially anxious child described on p. 979 of Bouton (2002).