Final answer:
The prompt method described is known as shaping, a behavioral technique employed to teach new behaviors through reinforcement of successive approximations toward a target behavior.
Step-by-step explanation:
The method described in the question is called shaping, which is used in behavior modification programs to help a learner acquire a new behavior.
Shaping involves the use of reinforcement to guide an individual towards a desired behavior by progressively reinforcing responses that come closer to the target behavior. As a part of the shaping process, one might start with reinforcing any response that slightly resembles the target behavior. Gradually, reinforcement is reserved for responses that more closely resemble the target behavior until the final desired behavior is achieved and reinforced.
Shaping can be effective in the acquisition of new behaviors and is often seen in both human and animal training. By applying the principles of classical conditioning, such as acquisition, extinction, stimulus discrimination, and stimulus generalization, shaping allows for fine-tuning a behavior by differentiating between similar stimuli and aligning responses with the target behavior.