PSYCO282 Lecture Notes - Lecture 14: Reinforcement, Physical Therapy, B. F. Skinner
8 Oct 2016
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Psyco282, lecture 14, oct. 7 (first class after midterm #1) Shaping is the di erential reinforcement of successive approximations of the target behaviour until the target behaviour or terminal behaviour is reached. Shaping takes a series of steps to get to that end result. Di erential reinforcement: one particular behaviour is reinforced, whereas other behaviours are not reinforced. Successive approximations: each consecutive behaviour more closely resembles the target behaviour in a series of shaping steps. The target behaviour is not in the person"s repertoire. Starting behaviour ( rst approximation) which is most similar to the target behaviour is reinforced. Next, the behaviour is extinguished (no longer reinforced). This results in an extinction burst and novel behaviours. The novel behaviour most similar to the target behaviour is reinforced (the next approximation). Shaping may take a long time, depending on the behaviour and the individual. Each step is an advance to the next approximation only after current one has been mastered.
