How Shaping Is An Applied Behavioral Analysis Technique

Shaping is an applied behavioral analysis technique that can be used to teach new behavior or elicit a desired target behavioral response in both human and nonhuman animals. Defined as a systematic process of reinforcing successive approximations to a target behavior, shaping is especially useful for behaviors that are difficult to learn by instruction, imitation, and verbal or physical cues (Alberto and Troutman, 2013, p. 294). The general rules of shaping dictate that behavior must occur prior to being reinforced, and also must be differentially reinforced until a predetermined terminal criterion is reached (Athens, Vollmer, and St. Peter Pipkin, 2007). According to Domjan (2014), successful shaping of behavior is comprised of three components: 1) defining the final target behavior to be performed; 2) assessing the starting level of performance in order to determine how far it is between the initial and target behaviors; and 3) dividing the progression toward the final target behavior into a series of gradual steps (e.g., successive approximations) that form a training plan (Domjan, 2014, p. 129). In addition, there are two complementary tactics that must be used during the execution of the training plan: 1) reinforcement of successive approximations to the final behavior; and 2) withholding reinforcement for earlier response forms (p. 129). The American psychologist B.F. 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