Deck 7: Getting a New Behavior to Occur With Shaping

Question 1

Why do we refer to positive reinforcement and operant extinction as principles but to shaping as a procedure? (Hint: See Chapter 1, p.10.)

Answer 1

Positive reinforcement and extinction would appear to be single processes that are not composed of more basic principles.Shaping clearly is composed of both positive reinforcement and extinction.In that sense, shaping is a procedure that involves two basic principles (namely, positive reinforcement and extinction).

Question 2

In terms of the three stages in a shaping procedure, describe how parents might shape their child to say a particular word.

Answer 2

(a)The final desired behavior is saying "dog." (b)Starting response is imitating "d." (c)Reinforcement of successive approximations to the final desired response.Child says "d" and parents hug child (several trials).Child says "do" and parents hug child (several trials).Child says "dog" and parents hug child (several trials).Any appropriate example is acceptable.

Question 3

Identify the three basic stages in any shaping procedure as presented at the beginning of this chapter, and describe them with an example (either Frank's case or an example of your own ).

Answer 3

(a)Specify the final desired behavior (e.g., Frank jogging a quarter of a mile each day); (b)Identify a response which can be used as a starting point in working toward the desired behavior (e.g., Frank walking around the outside of his house once); (c)Reinforce the starting response, and then closer and closer approximations towards the final desired response (e.g., Frank was reinforced for walking further and further, and finally for jogging, until his goal was reached).Any appropriate example is acceptable.

Question 4

What is meant by the term final target behavior in a shaping program?
Give an example.

Question 5

Why is it necessary to avoid underreinforcement at any shaping step?

Question 6

Define shaping.

Question 7

How do you know you have enough successive approximations or shaping steps of the right size?

Question 8

What is another name for shaping?

Question 9

Describe how Scott and colleagues used shaping to decrease the heart rate of a man suffering from chronic anxiety.

Question 10

Give an example of the Pitfall in which the failure to apply shaping might have an undesirable result.

Question 11

Explain how shaping involves successive applications of the principles of positive reinforcement and operant extinction.

Question 12

Why is it necessary to avoid reinforcing too many times at any shaping step?

Question 13

Give an example from your own experience of a final target behavior that might best be developed through a procedure other than shaping (see Guideline 1a, p.69).

Question 14

Why bother with shaping? Why not just learn about the use of straightforward positive reinforcement to increase a behavior?

Question 15

Give an example of the Unaware-Misapplication Pitfall in which shaping might be accidentally applied to develop an undesirable behavior.
Describe some of the shaping steps in your example.

Question 16

State a rule for deciding when to move the learner to a new approximation (see p.69).

Question 17

Describe a behavior of yours that was shaped by consequences in the natural environment,, and state several of the initial approximations.

Question 18

What is meant by the term starting behavior in a shaping program?
Give an example.

Question 19

List five dimensions of behavior that can be shaped.
Give two examples of each.

Question 20

Describe how computer technology might be used to shape specific limb movements in a paralyzed person.

Question 21

Describe an experiment demonstrating that maladaptive behavior can be shaped.

Question 22

Describe how computer technology might be used to study shaping more accurately than can be done with the usual noncomputerized shaping procedures.