Winton Eliott
It is crucial to remember that humans are independent beings who will not respond well and may resent being manipulated. Shaping behavior won’t make others perform in their best interest, but it might be helpful in teaching specific skills.
Have you ever tried to teach a dog tricks? For example, first, you praise the dog every time it sits. Next, when it lies down, you give it another verbal pat on the back.
Finally, only when the dog does a full rollover do you provide physical reinforcement in the form of treats or petting. In other words-you’ve unknowingly created an operant conditioning chamber for your furry friend!
What is meant by shaping in psychology?
Shaping is a type of operant conditioning that involves rewarding or punishing behavior in order to influence desired behavior. The reinforcement can be either positive (giving a reward) or negative (taking away something unpleasant).
Shaping can be an effective way to change behavior, but it is important to be aware of the potential risks and side effects.
For example, if shaping is used to encourage aggressive behavior, it could potentially lead to problems later on. Additionally, shaping should only be used as a last resort after other methods, such as positive reinforcement, have failed.
If used correctly, however, shaping can be a powerful tool for changing behavior.
Read also: Behavior vs Habit
What are the methods of shaping behavior?
The methods of shaping behavior can be divided into two categories: positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement.
Positive reinforcement
Positive reinforcement is the process of rewarding a behavior to increase the likelihood of that behavior being repeated.
For example, if a child is behaving in a desired manner, they may be given a sticker or verbal praise as a form of positive reinforcement.
This would increase the likelihood of the child repeating the desired behavior in the future.
Negative reinforcement
Negative reinforcement is the process of removing an unpleasant condition after the desired behavior is displayed.
For example, if a child is told to do their homework before they can play with their friends, the act of doing homework would be negatively reinforced because it would remove the unpleasant condition (not being able to play with friends)
There are a variety of methods that can be used to shape behavior. The most important thing is to be consistent and patient when using any method of shaping behavior.
Read also: Behavior vs Response
How shaping used in psychology?
Shaping can be used in different ways:
To teach new behaviors
Shaping is a behavior modification technique that can be used to teach new behaviors. It involves rewarding successive approximations of the desired behavior until the desired behavior is displayed.
For example, if you wanted to shape a dog to sit on command, you would first reward the dog for standing still.
Once the dog was consistently standing still, you would then begin rewarding him for putting his butt down. Once the dog was consistently putting his butt down, you would then begin rewarding him for sitting all the way down.
Eventually, the dog would learn to sit on command. Shaping is a powerful tool that can be used to teach all sorts of new behaviors.
To increase the frequency of the desired behavior
Shaping is a method of operant conditioning in which reinforcement is given for progressively closer approximations of the desired behavior.
Shaping can be an effective way to increase the frequency of the desired behavior because it allows for small, manageable steps that can lead to the desired outcome.
Additionally, shaping can be used to teach new behaviors or to modify existing ones. For example, a child who throws tantrums might be shaped to use words to express their frustration instead.
To decrease the frequency of an undesired behavior
Shaping is a behavior modification technique that can be used to decrease the frequency of undesired behavior.
The basic principle of shaping is to reinforce successive approximations of the desired behavior.
For example, if you wanted to shape a child’s behavior so that they stopped biting their nails, you would reinforce any instance in which the child did not bite their nails.
Over time, the child would learn that the desired behavior (not biting nails) results in reinforcement, and they would be less likely to engage in the undesired behavior.
To change the form or topography of the desired behavior
Shaping is a process of changing the form or topography of the desired behavior. It is often used in the field of education to change student performance.
For example, a teacher may use shaping to increase the number of times a student raises their hand in class. The teacher would start by reinforcing any instance of the student raising their hand, no matter how brief.
Over time, the teacher would gradually increase the criteria for reinforcement, only reinforcing instances where the student keeps their hand raised for a longer period of time.
In this way, the teacher can gradually change the student’s behavior, shaping it to meet their desired outcome.
Read also: What Is Infantilization
The takeaway
Shaping is a behavior modification technique that can be used to teach new behaviors, increase the frequency of desired behaviors, decrease the frequency of undesired behaviors, or change the form or topography of the desired behavior.
It is a powerful tool that can be used in a variety of ways to change behavior. The key to successful shaping is to break the desired behavior down into small, achievable steps.
Once you have determined the steps necessary to achieve the desired behavior, you can begin working on each step until the behavior is learned.
Shaping can be an effective way to teach complex behaviors, and it can also be used to refine existing behaviors. With patience and consistency, shaping can be a valuable tool for achieving your behavioral goals.
