Supermarket News: Whole Foods and Target Employees Named on National Retail Federation's People Shaping Retail’s Future List The NRF Foundation has named 25 individuals to The List of People Shaping Retail’s Future 2016. The List honorees represent the best and brightest individuals impacting the retail industry today and ... Whole Foods and Target Employees Named on National Retail Federation's People Shaping Retail’s Future List Shaping is a form of conditioning that leads subjects, often animals who are involved in experiments, to complete an operant behavior.

Understanding the Context

This process is also known as “approximation conditioning.” Shaping is a conditioning paradigm used primarily in the experimental analysis of behavior. The method used is differential reinforcement of successive approximations. Shaping is a technique that involves rewarding successive approximations to a goal behavior and/or phasing out a target behavior deemed to be undesirable. When the person or animal exhibits a behavior that is similar to the goal behavior, it is rewarded.

Key Insights

SHAPING meaning: 1. present participle of shape 2. to decide or influence the form of something, especially a belief…. Learn more. Shaping is a conditioning technique that involves working toward a target behavior by breaking it down into gradual, successive steps and rewarding each step on the path toward the desired outcome.

Final Thoughts

Psychologist B. F. Skinner introduced the concept as part of his operant conditioning theory. Shaping in psychology is the entire process of successive approximation, operant conditioning with positive reinforcements, breaking down complex behaviors into manageable steps, and behavior... Shaping in psychology is a powerful way to teach and learn behavior. Instead of expecting big changes all at once, shaping helps people grow step by step — with encouragement, rewards, and patience.