Troy would like to teach his dog to play a toy piano. Since the dog is unlikely to spontaneously begin playing the piano, Troy first rewards his dog for going near the piano, then for touching the piano, then for pressing on one of the keys of the piano, and so on until the dog is able to play a simple tune. This process is called
A) habituation.
B) adaptation.
C) generalization.
D) shaping.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Shaping is a technique used in operant conditioning where successive approximations of a desired behavior are reinforced until the desired behavior is achieved.

Troy Would Like to Teach His Dog to Play a Toy