Fred gives his dog a treat each time the dog looks to the left. After a while, Fred only gives a treat when the dog takes a step to the left. Finally, Fred gives a treat only when the dog turns completely around. This situation is an example of

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This situation is an example of shaping, which is the process of reinforcing successive approximations of a desired behavior. In this case, Fred is gradually shaping the dog's behavior from looking to the left to turning completely around by reinforcing each small step along the way. Extinction (B) would involve ceasing to reinforce a behavior that had been previously reinforced, which is not the case here. Classical conditioning (C) involves associating a neutral stimulus (such as a bell) with a reflexive response (such as salivating) until the neutral stimulus alone is sufficient to elicit the response. Negative reinforcement (D) involves removing an aversive stimulus (such as a loud noise) to increase the probability of a behavior occuring again in the future, which is not the case here.

Fred Gives His Dog a Treat Each Time the Dog