Shaping
Definition
Shaping refers to gradually teaching new behaviors through reinforcement until the target behavior is achieved.
Analogy
It's like sculpting from clay - you start with a lump and slowly mold it into your desired shape. In shaping, we start with an existing behavior and gradually refine it until we get what we want.
Related terms
Successive Approximations: Small steps in behavior, one after the other, that lead to a particular goal behavior.
Differential Reinforcement: The implementation of reinforcing only the appropriate response (or behavior you want to increase) and applying extinction to all other responses.
Chaining: A sequence of behaviors where each step is conditioned as a stimulus for the next.
"Shaping" appears in:
Study guides (1)
Practice Questions (5)
- Skinner is to shaping as Bandura is to:
- What is shaping in the context of operant conditioning?
- Which scenario best illustrates the concept of shaping in operant conditioning?
- Which experimental setup would effectively illustrate the concept of shaping in operant conditioning?
- Which factor is most influential in shaping public opinion and thereby potentially changing attitudes?
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