rbt C.10 Shaping

By RBThub February 23, 2026

Have you ever played the game "Hot and Cold"?
"You're getting warmer... warmer... HOT!"

That game is basically Shaping. You don't wait for the person to find the hidden object immediately; you reinforce them for getting closer. In ABA, we use shaping to teach behaviors that are currently impossible for the learner to do, by rewarding "baby steps" (approximations).

Executive Summary

This video breaks down Shaping, the process of differentially reinforcing Successive Approximations toward a Terminal Behavior. It explains that shaping is not just for teaching new words (e.g., "buh" -> "ball"), but can also be used to change the volume, duration, or intensity of a behavior.

⏱️ Video Timeline

00:00
What is Shaping?
Reinforcing small steps towards a final goal. It requires two things: Differential Reinforcement and Extinction.
01:37
The Process
1. Identify the starting behavior.
2. Reinforce a slightly better behavior.
3. Put the old behavior on extinction.
05:08
What can be Shaped?
Topography (how it looks), Frequency (how often), Latency (how fast), and Duration (how long).
07:58
Limitations
It is time-consuming. Progress can be inconsistent. If you aren't careful, you can accidentally shape bad behavior (e.g., screaming louder to get attention).

🔑 Key Insights

Terminal Behavior: The final goal. (e.g., Saying "Bubble" perfectly).
Successive Approximations: The steps in between. (e.g., "Buh" -> "Bub" -> "Bubble").
Extinction: Once the learner masters "Bub," we STOP rewarding "Buh." We push them to the next level.
Differential Reinforcement: Reinforcing ONLY the new best attempt, and ignoring the old attempts.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the difference between Shaping and Chaining?
A: Shaping is for one new behavior (improving a sound). Chaining is for linking many known behaviors together (hand washing).
Q: Can I shape problem behavior?
A: Yes, accidentally! If you ignore a child's whine, so they scream louder, and THEN you give in, you just shaped "Louder Screaming."

1. The Shaping Staircase

Shaping is like climbing stairs. You reinforce the current step to make it strong. Once they step up to the next level, you stop reinforcing the old level (Extinction). This pushes them to keep climbing.
"Buh" ❌ (EXT) "Bub" ❌ (EXT) "Bub-ble" CURRENT GOAL Perfect Speech
Example

Goal: Say "Bubble."
Week 1: Reinforce "Buh." (Extinguish silence).
Week 2: Reinforce "Bub." (Extinguish "Buh").
Week 3: Reinforce "Bubble." (Extinguish "Bub").

2. Shaping Dimensions

Topography: Changing what the behavior looks like. (e.g., fixing a sloppy handwriting letter 'A').
Duration: Changing how long it lasts. (e.g., Increasing studying from 5 mins to 10 mins).
Magnitude: Changing how loud/strong it is. (e.g., Speaking louder in class).

📝 Knowledge Check

Test your knowledge.

Q1: You are teaching a student to draw a circle. First you reward any curved line. Then you reward a half-circle. Then you reward a full circle. What is this?

Answer: Shaping.
You are reinforcing successive approximations of the final shape.

Q2: Once the student can draw a Half-Circle, should you continue to reward them for drawing a random curved line?

Answer: No (Extinction).
To move forward, you must stop rewarding the old, easier steps.
▶

Acquisition Quiz

Mock Exam

Test your knowledge on Shaping and Differential Reinforcement.

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