Question

When shaping yourself or another organism, which of the following must you make sure to do?

A) increase the magnitude of the reinforcer for closer approximations
B) to the end goal behavior do not reinforce any one approximation for too long
C) make sure to reinforce small steps approximating the end goal behavior
D) do not increase requirement for reinforcement too quickly

Answer 1

When shaping behavior, you must reinforce small steps towards the end goal while avoiding reinforcing a step for too long and not increasing the requirement for reinforcement too quickly.

Step-by-step explanation:

When shaping yourself or another organism, you must make sure to:

1. Reinforce small steps approximating the end goal behavior: This means rewarding behaviors that get progressively closer to the desired behavior. For example, if the goal is for a dog to sit, you would first reward any behavior that resembles sitting, such as squatting or lowering the hind legs. Then, you would only reinforce behaviors that more closely resemble sitting, such as bending the hind legs. This helps the organism learn and achieve the desired behavior through gradual steps.
2. Avoid reinforcing any one approximation for too long: It is important to not get stuck reinforcing a specific step for too long. If you do, the organism may become fixated on that step and not progress further towards the end goal behavior.
3. Do not increase the requirement for reinforcement too quickly: It is important to increase the difficulty of the behavior gradually. If you increase the requirement for reinforcement too quickly, the organism may become frustrated or confused, leading to a decrease in motivation and progress.