Chapter 09 - Shaping

Parents reinforce babbling → child begins to make sound such as “da,” or “ma,” (closer approximations to words) → parents reinforce da/ma sounds but not the babbling (give praise, get excited, etc) →  as a result child is more likely to make sounds in closer approximation to words than just random babbling sounds

How is shaping used in early language development of a child?

Shaping

reinforcement of successive approximations to a target behavior. used to establish a novel topography or dimension of a behavior

Differential reinforcement

a procedure in which a specific desirable behavior is followed by a reinforcer but other behaviors are not. The result is an increase in the desirable behavior and extinction of the other behaviors

Successive approximations

behavior that more closely resembles the desired behavior. After first approximation (starting behavior)  is made it is reinforced, and as more successive approximations closer to the target behavior are exhibited, those behaviors are reinforced while the previous ones are extinguished

Closer approximations to target behaviors are reinforced, and previous successive approximation behaviors are extinguished by not being reinforced → closer approximations eventually lead to target behavior

How are the principles of reinforcement and extinction are involved in shaping?

1. Generating a novel behavior (language in young child, lab rat pressing lever, tricks from a dolphin at a zoo) 

2. Reinstating a previously exhibited behavior (learning to walk again) 

3. Changing some dimension of an existing behavior (mrs. s time between urination)

Three ways shaping can be used

Steps involved in shaping

Define the target behavior, determine whether shaping is the most appropriate procedure, identify the starting behavior, choose the shaping steps, choose the reinforcer, differentially reinforce successive approximations, move through the shaping steps at a proper pace

Successive approximations of a behavior that is not beneficial to the person are reinforced

• Tina example - tina kept increasing the intensity of her behavior and mr smith kept reinforcing it by giving her attention each time she would exhibit a new problem behavior - each time he would try to ignore her she would exhibit a behavior that is more intense that the previous one and he would get worried and give her attention

How might shaping be used to accidentally develop a problem behavior?