Final answer:
Shaping refers to the operant conditioning process of rewarding successive approximations of a desired behavior. It typically follows a series of steps that begin with reinforcing any behavior that resembles the target behavior and gradually moving to reinforce only the exact desired behavior.
Step-by-step explanation:
The concept of rewarding successive approximations of a desired behavior is known as shaping. Shaping is an operant conditioning technique implemented by B.F. Skinner that involves reinforcing behaviors that are closer and closer to the desired behavior, ultimately leading to the desired behavior itself. The steps in shaping include:
- Reinforcing any response that resembles the desired behavior.
- Then, reinforcing the response that more closely resembles the desired behavior, ceasing reinforcement of the previously reinforced response.
- Continuing to reinforce responses that are even closer to the desired behavior.
- Eventually, reinforcing only the behavior that meets the desired criteria.
In operant conditioning, shaping is a vital process that allows trainers to build complex behaviors which would rarely, if ever, occur spontaneously. The use of shaping makes it possible to guide an organism through small, attainable steps, leading to the final desired behavior.