A father is "potty training" his son, Kenneth. First, he allows Kenneth to become acclimated to his pot, then Kenneth gets reinforced for sitting on the pot, and finally he gets a reinforcer only if he does something on the pot. Which procedure is the father using?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The father is using shaping, which involves reinforcing successive approximations of a desired behavior. In this case, the father reinforces Kenneth for sitting on the pot and then only reinforces him when he uses it, gradually shaping the desired behavior.

A Father Is "Potty Training" His Son, Kenneth