Principles of Behavior Sixth Edition Richard W. Malott Western Michigan University Power Point by Nikki Hoffmeister

Chapter 8 Shaping

Example Andrew entered Big State Hospital when he was 21 From the day he entered, he didn’t say a word – 19 years of silence He attended Dawn’s group therapy session with patients who did speak In one session Dawn accidentally dropped a stick of chewing gum from her purse Andrew showed interest in the gum

Andrew In the next group session, Dawn held the gum in front of Andrew’s face and waited until he looked at it Then she immediately gave him the gum After 2 weeks, he reliably looked at the gum when she held it in front of his face

Next Step Dawn waited until Andrew moved his lips slightly before giving him the gum After he was doing this reliably, she waited until he made a sound before giving him the gum Before Andrew has no gum Behavior Initial: Andrew moves his lips After Andrew has gum

Differential Reinforcement Before: Andrew has no gum After: Andrew has no gum Behavior Intermediate: Andrew moves his lips Behavior Intermediate: Andrew makes croaking sound After: Andrew has gum

Terminal Behavior Then Dawn prompted him to say “gum gum” His croaking sound faintly resembled “gum” Dawn immediately reinforced this response She then reinforced closer and closer approximations to the word “gum”

Differential Reinforcement Before: Andrew has no gum After: Andrew has no gum Behavior Intermediate: Andrew makes croaking sound Behavior Terminal: Andrew says gum After: Andrew has gum

Results Andrew clearly said, “Gum, please,” after 6 weeks of this intervention. After that day he would answer any question Dawn asked. He also chatted with his nurse outside of therapy sessions.

Analysis Because he didn’t talk, everyone assumed he couldn’t. So they interpreted his gestures and signs. When 2 responses produce the same reinforcers, we tend to do the one needing the least effort. But the contingencies changed when Dawn required more and more effortful vocal and verbal behavior before she delivered the reinforcer.

Shaping with Reinforcement Operant Level: The frequency of responding before reinforcement. Terminal Behavior: Behavior not occurring in the repertoire or not occurring at the desired frequency; the goal of the intervention.

What is Initial Behavior? Initial Behavior: Behavior that resembles the terminal behavior along some meaningful dimension and occurs at least with a minimal frequency.

What is Intermediate Behavior? Intermediate Behavior: Behavior that more closely approximates the terminal behavior.

So What is Shaping with Reinforcement? Shaping with Reinforcement: The differential reinforcement of only the behavior that more and more closely resembles the terminal behavior.

When do you use shaping? When you want to bring about new responses. Reinforce the initial behavior until it occurs frequently. Then abandon that response. Select and differentially reinforce another response that approximates the terminal behavior. Continue until the terminal behavior occurs, and reinforce it until it occurs frequently.

Shaping Reinforcement Before: Andrew has no gum After: Andrew has no gum Behavior Initial: Not applicable Intermediate: Moves lips only Terminal: Says words unclearly Behavior Initial: Andrew moves lips Intermediate: Makes croaking sound Terminal: Says words clearly After: Andrew has gum

Example Dicky, the autistic boy, needed glasses. The glasses were aversive for Dicky, and he would not wear them. Mont Wolf and his team of behavior analysts spent minute sessions with Dicky in his room.

Procedure They reinforced Dicky’s carrying his glasses, bringing them closer and closer toward his face, and actually putting them on. A gradual shaping process.

Shaping Reinforcement Before: Dicky has no candy or fruit After: Dicky has no candy or fruit Behavior Initial: Not applicable Intermediate: Only carries glasses Terminal: Glasses only near face Behavior Initial: Carries glasses Intermediate: Glasses near face Terminal: Puts on glasses After: Dicky has fruit or candy

Is wearing glasses a behavior? No. It fails the dead man test. So we talk about putting the glasses on or taking them off.

Results After 30 minutes of shaping, Dicky was putting on the glasses properly and looking through the lenses at various toys. Soon he put his glasses on any time they requested.

Example 13-year old Melanie was aphonic. –She spoke in a low, raspy whisper Behavior analysts used praise to shape the loudness of her vocal responses. First they shaped breathing, then humming, then saying consonants, then reading, and finally conversing. They helped her speak loudly and clearly. During a 2-year follow up they realized her vocal responses were still loud and clear.

Shaping with Reinforcement Before: Melanie gets no praise After: Melanie gets no praise Behavior Initial: Converses very lightly Intermediate: Converses lightly Terminal: Converses Moderately Behavior Initial: Converses lightly Intermediate: Converses moderately Terminal: Converses loudly After: Melanie gets praise

What is Shaping with Punishment? Shaping with Punishment: The differential punishment of all behavior except that which more and more closely resembles the terminal behavior.

Example Juke taught himself how to do a headstand. He started with his legs over his head, leaning against a wall. Once he could hold his feet against the wall for 1 minute, he raised the criterion. He tried to stand on his head without touching the wall; but he fell. But he got better and better.

What was the contingency? Both shaping with reinforcement, –Right moves caused him to feel good about himself and shaping with punishment. –Wrong moves caused him to fall or almost fall As with all punishment contingencies, the general response class needs some history of reinforcement. –Some reinforcement needed to maintain Juke’s standing on his head or the punishment of falling would suppress all efforts

Example Little Rod was in his crib His favorite toy, a rattle, is in the far corner He squirms toward it and finally scores During the next few weeks he gets better at squirming The squirm evolved into a crawl His crawl evolved into a toddle, and then a walk

Differential Reinforcement Before: Rod has no rattle in his hand After: Rod has no rattle in his hand Behavior: Rod does a weak squirm Behavior: Rod squirms forcefully After: Rod has a rattle in his hand

Shaping Along the Force Dimension Before: Rod has no rattle in his hand After Initial: No rattle Intermediate: Rattle in 10 seconds Terminal: Rattle in 6 seconds Behavior Initial: Weak force Intermediate: Forceful Terminal: Very forceful Behavior Initial: Forceful Intermediate: Very forceful Terminal: Super forceful After Initial: Rattle in 10 seconds Intermediate: Rattle in 6 seconds Terminal: Rattle in 4 seconds

Natural Shaping The natural environment differentially reinforced squirming Force was the response dimension Rod got the reinforcing rattle only if he squirmed with sufficient force The more forcefully Rod squirmed, the more quickly he got to the rattle Getting to the rattle quickly is more reinforcing than getting it slowly

Shaping Along the Topography Dimension Before: Rod has no rattle in his hand After Initial: Rattle in 10 seconds Intermediate: Rattle in 4 seconds Terminal: Rattle in 2 seconds Behavior Initial: Weak squirm Intermediate: Rod squirms Terminal: Rod toddles Behavior Initial: Rod squirms Intermediate: Rod toddles Terminal: Rod runs After Initial: Rattle in 4 seconds Intermediate: Rattle in 2 seconds Terminal: Rattle in 1 seconds

What is Fixed-Outcome Shaping? Fixed-Outcome Shaping: Shaping that involves no change in the value of the reinforcer, or aversive condition, as the performance criterion more and more closely resembles the terminal behavior.

What is Variable-Outcome Shaping? Variable-Outcome Shaping: Shaping that involves a change in the value of the reinforcer, or aversive condition, as performance more and more closely resembles the terminal behavior.

Example: Fixed-Outcome Shaping