A rat learns to climb a ladder to a platform where it can pull a string to raise the ladder and then climb the ladder again. The reinforcement for each response is the opportunity to perform the next response. This procedure is known as

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The procedure described is an example of chaining, which involves teaching an animal to perform a sequence of behaviors to achieve a final goal. In this case, the rat is taught to climb the ladder, pull the string, and then climb the ladder again in order to receive reinforcement (the opportunity to perform the next response). Shaping involves reinforcing successive approximations of a behavior, stimulus generalization involves responding to stimuli similar to the original, and primary reinforcement involves reinforcing a behavior with a reward that is inherently desirable (such as food or water).

A Rat Learns to Climb a Ladder to a Platform