Extinction: The Other Way to Make Behavior Disappear

There are two ways to make a behavior go away: punishment and extinction. Yesterday this blog focused on punishment, giving someone something that he or she doesn’t want, or taking away something he or she does want. Today’s blog explains extinction, the other way to make a behavior disappear. When I hear the word extinction,…

Rope-A-Dope: Let Fools Rush In

It was October 30, 1974, and the event was billed as “The Rumble in the Jungle.” Heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman defended his crown in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) against challenger Muhammad Ali. It was during this legendary fight that Ali first implemented his rope-a-dope strategy. Early in the fight, Ali…