Psych 282 - Chapter 9 - Shaping PDF

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Chapter 9 – Shaping Defining Shaping  Shaping: The reinforcement of successive approximations to a target behavior o Used to establish a novel topography or dimension of a behavior  Differential Reinforcement: Occurs when one particular behavior is reinforced and all other behaviors are not reinfo...

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Chapter 9 – Shaping Defining Shaping  Shaping: The reinforcement of successive approximations to a target behavior o Used to establish a novel topography or dimension of a behavior  Differential Reinforcement: Occurs when one particular behavior is reinforced and all other behaviors are not reinforced in a particular situation – the result is an increase in the desirable behavior and extinction o the other behaviors  Successive Approximation: In the process of shaping, each successive approximation is a behavior that more closely resembles the target behavior o The shaping process starts with reinforcement of the first approximation, a behavior currently exhibited by the person o After the first approximation is strengthened through reinforcement, it is extinguished o A closer approximation then occurs and is reinforced o This process continues until the person exhibits the target behavior  To begin shaping, you identify an existing behavior that is an approximation of the target behavior – “starting behavior” o You reinforce this behavior  as a result, person starts to exhibit this behavior more often Applications of Shaping  Shaping can be used in the following ways: o Generating a novel behavior o Reinstating a previously exhibited behavior o Changing some dimension of an existing behavior Research on Shaping  Shaping to modify a dimension of an existing behavior  Shaping of different topographies (new forms of behavior) How to Use Shaping 1. Define the target behavior 2. Determine whether shaping is the most appropriate procedure a. If the person already engages in the target behavior (at least occasionally), you do not need to use shaping, you just need to use differential reinforcement to increase the frequency of a target behavior b. Shaping is used for the acquisition of a novel topography/dimension of a behavior to reinstate a behavior that person does not currently exhibit 3. Identify the starting behavior a. Starting behavior must be something that the person already engages in, at least occasionally b. Starting behavior must have some relevance to the target behavior 4. Choosing the shaping steps a. In shaping, the person must master each step before moving to the next step b. The change in behavior from one step to the next must not be so large that person’s progress toward the target behavior stalls c. A moderate behavior change from one step to the next is most appropriate d. If the shaping steps are too small, process will be slow and laborious 5. Choose the reinforcer to use the shaping procedure a. Must choose a consequence that will be a reinforcer for the person participating in the shaping procedure b. Trainer must be able to deliver the reinforcer immediately contingent on appropriate behavior c. Amount of reinforcer should be such that person does not satiate easily; conditioned reinforcers are useful to avoid this 6. Differentially reinforce each successive approximation a. Beginning with the starting behavior, reinforce each instance of the behavior until the behavior occurs reliably b. Once this approximation occurs consistently, stop reinforcing this behavior and begin reinforcing the next approximation 7. Move through the shaping steps at a proper place a. Once a person masters one approximation (successfully engages in the behavior at least a few times), it is time to move on to the next approximation b. Reinforcing one approximation too many times may make it difficult to move to the next step c. If one person does not master one approximation, it may be impossible to at least difficult to process to the next step Shaping of Problem Behaviors  In certain circumstances, problem behaviors may be developed unintentionally through shaping o In these cases, successive approximations of a behavior that is not beneficial to the person are reinforced Chapter Summary  Shaping is a behavioral procedure in which successive approximations of a target behavior are differentially reinforced until the person engages in the target behavior o Shaping is used to develop a target behavior that the person does not currently exhibit  Successive approximations (or shaping steps) are behaviors that are increasingly more similar to the target behavior  Reinforcement and extinction are involved in shaping when successive approximations to the target behavior are reinforced and previous approximations are put on extinction  Shaping may be used inadvertently to develop problem behaviors o When a mild problem behavior is out on extinction and the problem worsens during an extinction burst, the parent may then reinforce the worse behavior

If this process continues a number of times, the problem behavior may become progressively worse through a process of differential reinforcement of worse and worse instances (more intense, more frequent, or longer durations) of the behavior The following steps are involved in the successful use of shaping o Define the target behavior o Determine whether shaping is the most appropriate procedure o Identify the starting behavior o Choose the shaping steps (successive approximations) o Choose the reinforcer to use in the shaping procedure o Differentially reinforce each successive approximation o Move at a proper pace through the shaping steps o

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Practice Test – Chapter 9

1.

What is shaping?

2.

When is it appropriate to use shaping? When would you not use shaping?

3.

Which two behavioral principles are involved in shaping? Explain.

4.

What are successive approximations?

5.

Provide an example of the differential reinforcement of successive approximations of a behavior.

6.

Provide two examples of shaping in everyday life.

7.

Provide an example how a problem behavior may be developed through shaping.

8.

The starting behavior (or first approximation) used in a shaping procedure has two basic characteristics. What are they?

9.

Why might it be useful to use conditioned reinforcers when conducting a shaping procedure?

10. Describe how shaping and discrimination training are used to the development of language in young child.

11. Shaping may be used to establish a new topography of a behavior or a new dimension of a behavior. Explain this statement. Provided an example of shaping a new dimension of a behavior.

12. Describe how an extinction burst may play a role in shaping. Provide an example....