AP PSYCHOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Shaping is a type of operant conditioning that uses reinforcers to guide behavior closer towards a desired behavior. Shaping occurs through successive approximations that guide the target through incremental steps, ultimately leading to the desired goal.

Detailed explanation-2: -a method of shaping operant behavior by reinforcing responses similar to the desired behavior. Initially, responses roughly approximating the desired behavior are reinforced. Later, only responses closely approximating the desired behavior are reinforced.

Detailed explanation-3: -Shaping in operant conditioning was based on the relationship between reinforcement and behaviors. Skinner proposed that a reinforcer is a consequence that increases the likelihood of the desired behavior reoccurring, and punishment decreases the chance of reoccurrence.

Detailed explanation-4: -Shaping is the use of reinforcement of successive approximations of a desired behavior. Specifically, when using a shaping technique, each approximate desired behavior that is demonstrated is reinforced, while behaviors that are not approximations of the desired behavior are not reinforced.

Detailed explanation-5: -The rat’s behavior was ‘shaped’ to get it to press the lever.” In this example, each time the rat is rewarded, it is being rewarded for a “successive approximation", or for acting in a way that gets closer and closer to the desired behavior.