1. Shaping

2. What is Shaping?
A process where you systematically and differentially reinforce successive approximations to a desired behavior
Used to help learners acquire new behaviors

3. Differential Reinforcement
Some members of a response class are reinforced (responses that are successively closer to the terminal behavior)
Other members of that response class are not reinforced (responses that are not closer to the terminal behavior)

4. Response Differentiation
Involves two components:
Differentially reinforce behaviors that resemble the terminal behavior
Carefully changing the criterion for reinforcement
Result
Increase in behaviors successively closer to terminal behavior
Decrease in behaviors that are not successively closer to terminal behavior

5. Shaping Diagrammed EO Deprived of water for a long period of time SD
Assume we want to teach a child to turn on the cold water tap in order to get a drink of water.
Assume the child already walks to sink and looks at it when he/she is thirsty.
Shaping might proceed like this: EO
Deprived of water for a long period of time SD
Tap on faucet marked with blue dot or letter “C”
Response
Walk to sink and look at it
SR+
Cold water presented
Walking to sink and looking at it maintains
Response already in repertoire
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2008 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved

6. Shaping Diagrammed EO Deprived of water for a long period of time SD
Shaping step 1: EO
Deprived of water for a long period of time SD
Tap on faucet marked with blue dot or letter “C”
Response
Walk to sink and look at it SO
Cold water withheld
Walking to sink and looking at it when deprived of water decreases EO
Deprived of water for a long period of time SD
Tap on faucet marked with blue dot or letter “C”
Response
Point to tap
SR+
Cold water presented
Pointing to tap when deprived of water increases

7. Shaping Diagrammed EO Deprived of water for a long period of time SD
Shaping step 2: EO
Deprived of water for a long period of time SD
Tap on faucet marked with blue dot or letter “C”
Response
Point to tap SO
Cold water withheld
Pointing to tap when deprived of water decreases EO
Deprived of water for a long period of time SD
Tap on faucet marked with blue dot or letter “C”
Response
Touch tap
SR+
Cold water presented
Touching tap when deprived of water increases

8. Shaping Diagrammed EO Deprived of water for a long period of time SD
Shaping step 3: EO
Deprived of water for a long period of time SD
Tap on faucet marked with blue dot or letter “C”
Response
Touch tap SO
Cold water withheld
Touching tap when deprived of water decreases EO
Deprived of water for a long period of time SD
Tap on faucet marked with blue dot or letter “C”
Response
Grasp tap
SR+
Cold water presented
Grasping tap when deprived of water increases

9. Shaping Diagrammed EO Deprived of water for a long period of time SD
Shaping step 4: EO
Deprived of water for a long period of time SD
Tap on faucet marked with blue dot or letter “C”
Response
Grasp tap SO
Cold water withheld
Grasping tap when deprived of water decreases EO
Deprived of water for a long period of time SD
Tap on faucet marked with blue dot or letter “C”
Response
Turn tap
SR+
Cold water presented
Turning tap when deprived of water increases
Terminal Behavior

10. Dimensions of Behavior that can be Shaped
Topography
Form of the behavior
Frequency
Number of responses per unit of time
Latency
Time between onset of antecedent stimulus and the occurrence of the behavior
Duration
Total elapsed time for the occurrence of the behavior
Amplitude
Magnitude

11. Guidelines for Implementing Shaping
Consider Nature of Behavior to be Learned and Resources Available
Select the Terminal Behavior
Determine Criteria for Success
Analyze the Response Class
Eliminate interfering Stimuli
Deprivation of Reinforcers you want to use
Identify the First Behavior to Reinforce
Limit the Number of Approximations at Each Level
Continue Reinforcement when Terminal Behavior is Achieved

12. Consider Nature of Behavior to be Learned and Resources Available
How far away is current performance from terminal behavior?
This might influence how long shaping will take
What is the availability of staff and other resources?
Remember, this is a labor intensive procedure

13. Select the Terminal Behavior
The ultimate criterion for selecting a behavior for change:
How will the behavior change contribute to the learner’s independence in gaining reinforcement?
Define the terminal behavior precisely
Then you’ll know when the behavior has occurred

14. Determine Criteria for Success
How accurate, fast, long, or intensely should the behavior be performed? Under what conditions should it be performed?
Establish norms by
Consulting literature
Observing similar peer group

15. Analyze the Response Class
Identify the approximations that might be emitted during training BEFORE TRAINNG BEGINS
Trainer is in a better position to “stay ahead of his/her subject”
Can be done by:
Consulting experts in the field
Use published literature
Use videotape of peers to analyze components of a behavior
Perform the target behavior yourself
LIST THEM IN ORDER

16. Key to Shaping - Deprivation
If possible, deprive the organism of what you want to reinforce it with.
Animals with food. Deprive to 80% of its body weight.
Deprive kid of reinforcer you want to use.

17. Kids
Food
Chocolate Chip Cookies (ccc’s)
M & Ms
Tokens
Money

18. Identify the First Behavior to Reinforce
Behavior should already occur at some level
Behavior should be a member of the targeted response class

19. Specifics Eliminate Interfering Stimuli Proceed in Gradual Stages
Eliminate distractions during training
Proceed in Gradual Stages
Be prepared for decrements in performance when you increase criteria
Limit the Number of Approximations at Each Level
Lest the behavior become too firmly established

20. Continue Reinforcement When the Terminal Behavior is Achieved
The behavior will be lost if the terminal response is not reinforced
Move to a schedule of reinforcement
Thin the schedule

21. Increasing Efficiency of Shaping
Combine with other discriminative stimuli (e.g., a prompt)
Verbal cues
Physical guidance
Models

22. Positive Aspects of Shaping
Teaches new behaviors
Is a positive approach to teaching
Can be combined with other procedures, such as chaining, imitation, etc.

23. Limitations of Shaping
Can be time consuming
Progress is not always linear and may be erratic
Requires a skillful trainer, who can recognize subtly closer approximations
Can be misapplied (problem or harmful behaviors can be accidentally shaped)

24. Reverse Shaping Is different from Regular Shaping
Start at the end response, then reinforce it.
Then two steps before you reinforce it,
Then three steps, etc.

25. Examples
Teaching a kid to tie their shoes.

26. Summary Is an extremely useful technique
Can be used with a variety of other techniques
Can be used to change behavior
We use shaping with many behaviors and do not know it
Can be used systematically to manipulate behavior of others in a variety of situations
Weight control
Business relationships
Family relationships
Can take longer than other techniques.