USING SHAPING EFFECTIVELYCHAPTER 14

Meg Lipper

Caldwell College

OVERVIEW• Introduction

• Ethics of shaping

• Handling difficult people

• Develop the shaping habit

• Everyday behavior shaping

• Questions / Comments

SOURCES

• Bailey, J., & Burch, M. (2010). 25 essential skills and strategies for the professional behavior analyst. New York, NY: Routledge.

“Shaping, shaping, always shaping”

On a family trip to New York, a dad, after saying, “OK, I’ll take you to the American Girl doll store, but we’re not buying anything today,” gets out his platinum credit card and gives in to his begging 9-year-old daughter.

Bailey & Burch, 2010

Florida Association of Behavior Analysis(FABA)

SHAPING 101

• Know the laws of behavior

• They exist and operate regardless of your knowledge

• Be careful not to shape inappropriate behavior

• Be aware of accidental reinforcement

• Previous scenarios are examples of behavior analytic principles operating in which they are increasing the likelihood of the inappropriate behavior to occur again

Bailey & Burch, 2010

ETHICS OF SHAPING

“In the hands of a well-trained behavior analyst who has excellent professional skills, shaping can be a joy to behold.”

Bailey & Burch, 2010

YOUR EXPERIENCS??

• Personal or Professional

• Were you successful?

• What did you learn?

THE WELL-TRAINED BEHAVIOR ANALYST

• Confident

• Patient

• Prepared

• Focused

• Engages in conversation easily

• Smile and nod in agreement

• Pause and have neutral expression when necessary

• REMAINS CALM!Bailey & Burch, 2010

HANDLING DIFFICULT PEOPLE

• The Complainer, The Know-it-all, and The Drama Queen

• Causing difficulties for everyone around them

• The Behavior Analyst

• Doesn’t allow difficult individuals to get them angry

• WHY?

• We know and understand how behavior works

• We know the inappropriate behavior being seen is a result of the individuals past history

• We are well-trained and have the knowledge to shape behavior deliberately Bailey & Burch, 2010

WHO CAN SHAPE BEHAVIOR??

• ANYONE!

• Accidently VS Deliberately

• Untrained VS Well-trained

“Applying what you know about the basic principles of behavior to the people around you is in your, and their, best interest.”

Bailey & Burch, 2010

SOME EXAMPLES

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mt4N9GSBoMI

DEVELOP THE SHAPING HABIT

• Strengthen your skills!

• Start small

• Reinforce approximations at first

• 1-2 people; 1-2 behaviors for each person

Bailey & Burch, 2010

KEEP IN MIND!

• Remember!

• We are not trying to produce new behaviors

• Increase the probability of a response

• More often

• At the right time

Bailey & Burch, 2010

SHAPING AGREEMENT BEHAVIOR• Break the ice

• Start with something that will promote head nodding

• Show empathy

• Provide comforting words

• Match and mirror behavior

• Sighs, head nods

• Relate a story

• “My experience has been…..”, “I was in a situation similar”

• Present your proposal carefully and slowly

• Reinforce signs of agreement (i.e. head nods, smiles, confirming comments)

Bailey & Burch, 2010

DEVELOP YOUR SHAPING SKILLS

• Be on your toes, be prepared, & stay focused!

• Look out for signs of agreement

• “well I don’t know” “Well, I guess”

• Provide reinforcement

• Signs of troublesome behavior

• Respond with “blank face” / no reaction

• Do not frown or shake head

• Remain neutral

• Wait a few seconds

• Return to proposal smiling & noddingBailey & Burch, 2010

DEVELOP YOUR SHAPING SKILLS

• Developing shaping skills

• Can be exhausting

• Takes time to perfect

• Once perfected

• Shaping will become an automatic habit

• A Good Habit!

Bailey & Burch, 2010

EVERYDAY BEHAVIOR SHAPING

• Shaping parents as mediators

• Positive verbal praise

• Eye contact

• Nod and smile

• Provide immediate descriptive feedback

• Results

• Increase rate of correct responding

• Build confidence and self-assurance

Bailey & Burch, 2010

EVERYDAY BEHAVIOR SHAPING

• Shaping can be powerful!

• Not only clients

Bailey & Burch, 2010

IS IT ETHICAL OR APPROPRIATE FOR YOU TO USE THE SKILLS YOU HAVE ACQUIRED ON SHAPING BEHAVIOR WITH PEOPLE IN

YOUR DAILY LIFE???

Bailey & Burch, 2010

EVERYDAY BEHAVIOR SHAPING

• YES!

• The application and effect of shaping can be extremely powerful if done correctly.

• Goals must be honorable and justifiable

• Don’t promote your own agenda

• Remain ethical

• Select behaviors that are within the individuals best interests

Bailey & Burch, 2010

THE EFFECTIVE BEHAVIOR ANALYST

• LET’S REVIEW

• Develop prerequisites for shaping

• Look for behaviors to reinforce

• Ignore negative feedback

• Change the subject if inappropriate comments or jokes are being made

• Don’t maintain the problem by saying “That’s OK”

• Guess what?? ITS NOT OKAY!Bailey & Burch, 2010

SUMMARY

• As behavior analysts we can influence the behavior of people in which we come in contact with

• We can systematically shape others (difficult individuals) behavior by ways of being able to identify effective reinforcers and deliver them at crucial times to ensure they will have the maximum effect.

• Always remain CALM & PATIENT in order to be successful

• As behavior analysts we are trained to know the laws of behavior Bailey & Burch, 2010

ADDITIONAL READINGS

Bloch, J. P. (2005). Handling difficult people. Avon, MA: Adams Media.

Sutherland, A. (2008). What Shamu taught me about life, love, and marriage. New York: Random House.

REFERENCES

• Bailey, J., & Burch, M. (2010). 25 essential skills and strategies for the professional behavior analyst. New York, NY: Routledge

QUESTIONS / COMMENTS