Positively Autism ~ Applied Behavior Analysis ~ February, 2008

Applied Behavior Analysis
Volume 3, Issue 2 ~ February, 2008

Teaching with Shaping

Introduction

Shaping is a procedure that is used to gradually develop new behaviors. Shaping is defined as reinforcing successive approximations toward a target behavior. This means that you reinforce small steps toward an ultimate goal. A successive approximation refers to a behavior that is similar to the target behavior (the goal). First, an initial approximation is selected that will be easy for the individual to perform. After this is mastered, closer approximations are selected and reinforced in a systematic manner. Shaping allows an individual to learn a new skill at his or her own pace, while experiencing success at each step.

Examples of Shaping

(1) Playing “Hot and Cold.” A player hides an object, and gives the players clues as it its location as they move around the room. When the players move closer to the object, the “hider” tells them that they are getting “warmer” (reinforcing getting closer to the object). When the players get very close, they are told that they are getting “hotter,” until they have almost found the object, when they are “hot.”

(2) Sleeping with the Lights Out. A child who is afraid to sleep in the dark may be helped to do so through shaping. A dimmer may be installed in the child’s room, for example, with ten settings. The first day, the dimmer might be set to nine, and the child could be reinforced the next day for sleeping with this setting. After the child is successful with this setting, it could be moved to eight, then seven, then six, etc.

(3) Eating in a Restaurant. In order to help a child who has difficulty eating in a sit-down restaurant, shaping can be used. Initially, a parent could go to a drive through at a fast-food restaurant, and then go into the restaurant with the child and eat at a table. This way, the child does not need to wait for food. Later, one parent or caregiver could go into the restaurant and order, and another parent could bring in the child and wait for just a few minutes. This time could gradually be increased. At a sit-down restaurant, an order may be phoned in before arriving at the restaurant, so wait time is reduced. This time could gradually be increased.

(4) Shooting a Bow and Arrow. A student may be taught initially to hold the bow properly, then to hold the bow properly and draw the bow with the arrow on it. When these steps are mastered, a target might be set up a few feet away. Once this step is mastered, the target can be moved back a few feet at a time.

(5) Programmed Instruction. See this issue of Positively Autism for more information on Programmed Instruction.

References

“Principles of Everyday Behavior Analysis” by L. Keith Miller (see review in this month’s ‘Busy Bee Book Review’)

BBB Autism: Shaping and Chaining - http://www.bbbautism.com/aba_shaping_and_chaining.htm

FEAT-NT Newsletters - http://www.featnt.org/downloads.php?cat_id=6

Wikipedia: Shaping - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaping_(psychology)