What does shaping in behavior training involve?

Shaping in behavior training is a fundamental technique used to encourage the gradual development of a desired behavior through reinforcement. It involves reinforcing successive approximations of the target behavior, meaning that as the individual makes progress towards the final behavior, each small step or improvement is acknowledged and rewarded. This gradual reinforcement helps to build the behavior over time, making it an effective approach for teaching complex actions or skills.

By focusing on reinforcing successive approximations, trainers can provide guidance and motivation, ensuring that the learner feels a sense of achievement with each step they take. This method contrasts sharply with ignoring all approximations or only recognizing the final behavior, both of which would not support the learning process effectively. Shaping encourages continuous growth and learning by celebrating incremental successes along the way.