Final answer:
Gradually reducing prompts through shaping increases an individual's independence, as they learn to perform tasks without assistance.
Step-by-step explanation:
When using shaping to teach new behaviors by gradually reducing the level of prompts, you are increasing an individual's ability to perform a task independently, without the need for assistance, you are increasing their Independence. Shaping involves reinforcing successive approximations of a target behavior until the desired behavior is achieved. As the individual becomes more adept, the need for prompts is gradually reduced, allowing them to operate on their own. In the context of the reference information provided, your level of confidence in your own abilities is known as self-efficacy, which is closely related to independence as both involve an individual's belief in their own ability to succeed at a particular task without external support.