When is a behavior reinforced during shaping?

In the process of shaping, a behavior is reinforced whenever an approximation of the desired behavior is demonstrated. Shaping involves gradually guiding a learner towards a target behavior by reinforcing successive approximations. This means that as the individual makes progress, even small steps towards the final goal are recognized and encouraged.

For instance, if the ultimate goal is to teach a child to say a word, the instructor might start by reinforcing any attempt at making sounds that resemble that word. As the child becomes more accurate with their approximations, the reinforcement continues to encourage further improvement. This method effectively promotes learning by acknowledging and rewarding progress along the way.

In contrast, reinforcing only when the final behavior is achieved would not support the gradual learning process that shaping advocates. Similarly, focusing on extreme variations or eliminating all prompts does not align with the essence of shaping, which is to reinforce behaviors as they progressively get closer to the desired outcome.