Chapter 19
What Is Shaping?
• A process in which one
– and reinforces
– to a terminal behavior
• Used to help learners acquire new behaviors
Differential Reinforcement
• Some members of a response class are reinforced (responses that are successively closer to the terminal behavior)
• Other members of that response class (responses that are not closer to the terminal behavior)
Response Differentiation
• Involves two components:
– behaviors that resemble the
– Carefully for reinforcement
• Result
– in behaviors to terminal behavior
– in behaviors that are to terminal behavior
Shaping Diagrammed
Dimensions of Behavior That Can Be Shaped
•
– Form of the behavior
•
– Number of responses per unit of time
•
– Time between onset of antecedent stimulus and the occurrence of the behavior
•
– Total elapsed time for the occurrence of the behavior
•
– Magnitude
Successive Approximations
• An intermediate behavior
– for terminal behavior or
– of the same response topography
Shaping Across and Within Response Topographies
• Across response topographies
– Topography of behavior during shaping
– Behaviors are still
• Within response topographies
– Topography of behavior
– Another of behavior is changed (e.g., duration of the behavior)
Positive Aspects of Shaping
• Teaches
• A to teaching
• Can be combined with other procedures, such as chaining
Limitations of Shaping
• Can be
• Progress is not always and may be
• Requires a , who can recognize subtly closer approximations
• Can be (problem or harmful behaviors can be accidentally shaped)
Shaping vs. Fading
• Both change behavior gradually
– Shaping via changing
– Fading by changing
Increasing Efficiency of Shaping
• Combine with a (e.g., a prompt)
–
–
–
Guidelines for Implementing Shaping
• Consider to be learned and available
– How far away is current performance from terminal behavior?
• This might influence
– What is the availability of ?
• Remember, this is a labor intensive procedure
• Select the
– The ultimate criterion for selecting a behavior for change:
• How will the behavior change contribute to the learner’s ?
– Define the
• Then you’ll know when the behavior has occurred
• Determine
– How accurate, fast, long, or intensely should the behavior be performed? Under what conditions should it be performed?
– Establish norms by
•
•
• Analyze the Response Class
– Identify the approximations that might be emitted during training
• Trainer is in a better position to “ ”
– Can be done by:
• Consulting experts in the field
• Use published literature
• Use videotape of peers to analyze components of a behavior
• Perform the target behavior yourself
• Identify the
– Behavior should
– Behavior should be a
• Eliminate Interfering Stimuli
– Eliminate distractions during training
• Proceed in Gradual Stages
– Be prepared for when you increase criteria
• Limit the at Each Level
– Lest the behavior become
• Continue When the Terminal Behavior Is Achieved
– The behavior if the terminal response is not reinforced