In discrimination training, the S-delta is specifically used to show the condition of zero reinforcement or extinction.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not specified
• D. Always

Answer: (B)

In discrimination training, the S-delta signals that the target response will not be reinforced in the presence of that stimulus. It sets the rule: do not respond here because reinforcement is not available for this cue. This is about non-reinforcement in a specific stimulus context, not about zero reinforcement overall or the extinction process itself. Extinction is the broader process of a response decreasing due to ongoing non-reinforcement, which can follow the presence of an S-delta but is not the S-delta itself. For example, a lever press earns food when a green light is on (S+), but not when a red light is on (S-delta); the red-light cue tells the animal that responding won’t be reinforced in that context. Because of that distinction, the statement is not accurate.