What happens to behaviors that are not approximations of the desired behavior during shaping?

During the shaping process, only behaviors that are closer to the desired behavior—successive approximations—are reinforced. Behaviors that do not meet this criterion are typically not reinforced. This means that if a behavior does not move the individual closer to the target behavior, it is effectively ignored in terms of reinforcement.

By not providing reinforcement for behaviors that are not approximations of the desired behavior, the individual is encouraged to engage in actions that more closely align with what is being taught. This selective reinforcement is essential because it helps guide the individual toward achieving the ultimate goal. The focus remains on shaping the behavior, rather than reinforcing or encouraging behaviors that do not contribute to this progression.

Thus, by not reinforcing irrelevant or non-approximating behaviors, the shaping process becomes more efficient, emphasizing those actions that are more aligned with the target behavior.