Psychology MCAT Practice Exam

Shaping in operant conditioning involves reinforcing successive approximations to a target behavior. This technique is used to teach a complex behavior by breaking it down into smaller, manageable steps. Each step is reinforced until the individual is able to perform the full, desired behavior. For example, if a trainer is trying to teach a dog to roll over, they might first reinforce the dog for simply lying down. Next, they would only provide reinforcement when the dog turns onto its side, and continue to reinforce actions that lead closer to the full roll-over behavior. By progressively reinforcing behaviors that get closer to the target behavior, the dog learns how to perform the desired action over time. The other options do not accurately capture the essence of shaping. Immediate reinforcement after each response refers to continuous reinforcement, not shaping. Random timing of reinforcement aligns more with variable schedules of reinforcement, which do not involve the systematic approach required in shaping. Teaching through punishment is not related to shaping at all, as shaping is focused on reinforcement of positive behaviors rather than discouraging unwanted behaviors.