Developing New Behavior- Shaping

Front 1

Differential Reinforcement

Back 1

A procedure in which reinforcement is provided for responses that share a predetermined dimension or quality, and in which reinforcement is withheld for responses that do not demonstrate that quality.

Front 2

Response Differentiation

Back 2

Reinforced members of the current response class occur with greater frequency, and unreinforced members occur less frequently; the overall result is the emergence of a new response class.

Front 3

Successive Approximations

Back 3

Successive new response classes, each one close in form to the terminal behavior than the response class it replaces.

Front 4

Different Dimensions of Performance That Can Be Shaped

Back 4

1. Topography
2. Frequency
3. Latency
4. Duration
5. Amplitude/Magnitude

Front 5

Shaping Across Response Topographies

Back 5

Select members of a response class are differentially reinforced, whereas members of other response classes are not reinforced.

Front 6

Shaping Within Response Topographies

Back 6

The form of the behavior remains constant, but differential reinforcement is applied to another measurable dimension of the behavior.

Front 7

Positive Aspects of Shaping

Back 7

1. It teaches new behaviors
2. The terminal behavior is always in sight.
3. It uses a positive approach to teach new behavior.
4. It can be combined with other established behavior change or behavior behavior-building procedures.

Front 8

Limitations of Shaping

Back 8

1. It can be time-consuming.
2. Progress toward the terminal behavior is not always linear.
3. It requires the practitioner to consistently monitor the learner to detect subtle indications that the next approximation that is closer to the terminal behavior has been performed.
4. Shaping can be misapplied.
5. Harmful behavior can be shaped.

Front 9

Guidelines for Implementing Shaping

Back 9

1. Select the Terminal Behavior
2. Determine the Criterion for Success
3. Analyze the Response Class
4. Identify the First Behavior to Reinforce
5. Eliminate Interfering or Extraneous Stimuli
6. Proceed in Gradual Stages
7. Limit the Number of Approximations at Each Level
8. Continue to Reinforce When the Terminal Behavior Is Achieved

Front 10

Future Applications of Shaping

Back 10

1. Percentile Schedules
2. Using Computers to Teach Shaping
3. Combining Shaping with Robotics Engineering