Chapter 9: Shaping

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts related to shaping, conditioning principles, and their application based on the lecture notes.

Negative Punishment

A principle of conditioning where an operant behavior is followed by the removal of a reinforcing stimulus, thereby decreasing the future probability of the behavior.

Vicarious Punishment

A principle of learning where an individual observes someone else being punished for a behavior and, as a result, decreases their own engagement in that behavior.

Extinction of CR

A phenomenon where a conditioned response (CR) decreases in frequency and eventually stops occurring after the conditioned stimulus (CS) is repeatedly presented without the unconditioned stimulus (US).

Shaping

The differential reinforcement of successive approximations of a target behavior until the target behavior is exhibited by the individual.

Differential Reinforcement

A component of shaping where one behavior is reinforced while others are not.

Successive Approximations

Behaviors that are closer and closer to the target behavior, reinforced during the shaping process.

Principles of Shaping

Reinforcement and Extinction are the two primary behavioral principles involved in shaping.

Uses of Shaping (Therapeutic)

To develop new dimensions of a behavior, to develop new settings for a behavior, or to reinstate old behaviors that are no longer occurring.

When to use Shaping

Used when instructions, modeling, and prompting are not applicable or not effective, and for developing entirely new behaviors.

Starting Behavior (Shaping)

A behavior the person already exhibits that can be built upon to achieve the target behavior during the shaping process.