Chapter 11 - Shaping Everyday Behaviors

Question 1

Reinforcement can only increase the frequency of an existing behavior

Answer 1

True

Question 2

You can SHAPE a behavior to create a NEW behavior.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

The differential reinforcement of a series of successive approximations to a target behavior.

Answer 3

Shaping

• the person doing the shaping specifies the target behavior or goal of the shaping.
• can also use the term shaping when no one has intentionally specified a target behavior.
• You need only observe that successive approximations move toward some end result.

Question 4

The ultimate GOAL of shaping. Any behavior that you seek to produce through shaping.

It is also any behavior that the world unintentionally moves a behavior toward.

Answer 4

Target Behavior

Question 5

Any behavior that is SIMILAR to a target behavior for a program of shaping.

Answer 5

Successive Approximation

• Its similarity is what permits it to serve as a step toward the target behavior.
• selecting an initial approximation to the target behavior and differentially reinforcing that approximation until it occurs frequently.

Question 6

Researchers have used shaping to develop complex behaviors.

Answer 6

True

Question 7

It is not shaping when response rate GRADUALLY increases as a result of reinforcement.

It is not shaping when a person’s behavior changes without differential reinforcement

Answer 7

True