Shaping

 Shaping is a procedure used to reinforce successive approximations of a new (target) behavior in a person’s repertoire through differential reinforcement.  Approximation means a behavior that resembles the target behavior.  Successive approximations are steps toward the target behavior.  If a behavior never occurs, it is not in the person’s repertoire.  Differential reinforcement is the process of giving more reinforcement for behaviors that are closer to the desired behavior.