Editing Reinforcement (section)

==Shaping==

{{Main|Shaping (psychology)}}
Shaping is the reinforcement of successive approximations to a desired instrumental response. In training a rat to press a lever, for example, simply turning toward the lever is reinforced at first. Then, only turning and stepping toward it is reinforced. Eventually the rat will be reinforced for pressing the lever. The successful attainment of one behavior starts the shaping process for the next. As training progresses, the response becomes progressively more like the desired behavior, with each subsequent behavior becoming a closer approximation of the final behavior.<ref>{{cite book | vauthors = Schacter DL, Gilbert DT, Wegner DM | chapter = Chapter 7: Learning | title = Psychology | edition = 2nd | publisher = Worth Publishers | location = New York | year = 2011 | pages = [https://archive.org/details/psychology0000scha/page/284 284–85] | isbn = 978-1-4292-3719-2 | chapter-url = https://archive.org/details/psychology0000scha/page/284 }}</ref>

The intervention of shaping is used in many training situations, and also for individuals with autism as well as other developmental disabilities. When shaping is combined with other evidence-based practices such as Functional Communication Training (FCT),<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Ghaemmaghami |first1=Mahshid |last2=Hanley |first2=Gregory P. |last3=Jessel |first3=Joshua |last4=Landa |first4=Robin |date=2018-05-14 |title=Shaping complex functional communication responses |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jaba.468 |journal=Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis |volume=51 |issue=3 |pages=502–520 |doi=10.1002/jaba.468 |pmid=29761485 |issn=0021-8855|url-access=subscription }}</ref> it can yield positive outcomes for human behavior. Shaping typically uses continuous reinforcement, but the response can later be shifted to an intermittent reinforcement schedule.

Shaping is also used for food refusal.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Tarbox and Lanagan Bermudez |first=Jonathan and Taira |title=Treating Feeding Challenges in Autism |publisher=Academic Press |year=2017 |isbn=978-0-12-813563-1 |location=San Diego |pages=1–6}}</ref> Food refusal is when an individual has a partial or total aversion to food items. This can be as minimal as being a picky eater to so severe that it can affect an individual's health. Shaping has been used to have a high success rate for food acceptance.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Turner |first=Virginia R |display-authors=etal |date=2020 |title=Response Shaping to Improve Food Acceptance for Children with Autism: Effects of Small and Large Food Sets  |journal=Research in Developmental Disabilities|volume=98 |page=103574 |doi=10.1016/j.ridd.2020.103574 |pmid=31982827 |s2cid=210922007 }}</ref>