Final answer:
Kathy's strategy to encourage her roommate to clean is called behavioral shaping, a technique from operant conditioning that uses selective positive reinforcement to gradually mold desired behaviors.
Step-by-step explanation:
The strategy that Kathy is using to get her roommate to start cleaning her side of the room by first complimenting the smallest effort and then withholding compliments until more extensive cleaning tasks are done is known as behavioral shaping. This technique is part of operant conditioning, a concept developed by B.F. Skinner, where behaviors are gradually molded by reinforcing desired behaviors with positive reinforcement like compliments, at first liberally, and then selectively to encourage more substantial efforts. Kathy's approach leverages the principles of successive approximation, where you reinforce behaviors that are progressively closer to the target behavior. The strategy described, where Kathy starts by complimenting her roommate on small efforts and withholds further compliments until more extensive cleaning tasks are done, is an example of behavior modification or reinforcement strategy. Specifically, it incorporates a form of positive reinforcement, where positive feedback (compliments) is provided to encourage certain behaviors. This approach is commonly associated with operant conditioning, a psychological concept developed by B.F. Skinner. In operant conditioning, behaviors are strengthened or weakened based on the consequences that follow them. Positive reinforcement involves adding a positive stimulus to encourage a desired behavior. In this case, the compliments serve as positive reinforcement for the roommate's efforts to keep the room tidy.