Shaping

Shaping

1. the gradual process of reinforcing an animal for responses that get closer to the desired response

2. Complex behaviors can be trained through a process of providing reinforcements for successive approximations of a complex behavior

   • successive approximations
     • the series of relatively simple responses involved in shaping a complex response
     • “Simpler” responses that build upward toward the complex behavior

3. token reinforcement system

   • Tokens (e.g., starts, stickers, etc.) earned for desirable behavior(s) can be exchanged for some reward
     • works for modifying behaviors but only SOMETIMES works for academic performance