At the National Zoological Park in Washington,D.C.,a polar bear suffered a broken tooth,and keepers needed a safe way of treating the problem.The bear was rewarded first for sticking its nose through a slot in the cage door,then for allowing a keeper to lift its lip and touch its teeth.Finally,a veterinarian was able to treat the damaged tooth while the bear waited placidly for its familiar reward.This is an example of _______.
A)modeling
B)shaping
C)negative reinforcement
D)secondary learning

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Shaping is the process of reinforcing small steps towards a desired behavior. In this case, the polar bear was rewarded for gradually allowing the keeper to touch its teeth, which is a small step towards being able to treat the broken tooth. This technique is commonly used in animal training and is an effective way to shape complex behaviors. The other options - modeling, negative reinforcement, and secondary learning - do not accurately describe the situation.