Question

Which of the following best outlines a reason for the use of shaping over autoshaping?

1) If the desired behaviours rely on time and autoshaping, it takes too long for contingencies to be formed.
2) If the desired behaviours are too complex to be acquired without experimenter intervention.
3) If the desired behaviours are too complex to be learned automatically and require conscious knowledge of learning.
4) If the desired behaviours involve conscious recognition of learning contingencies.

Answer 1

Shaping is used over autoshaping when the desired behaviors are complex, as it reinforces successive approximations towards the target behavior through experimenter intervention.

Step-by-step explanation:

The reason for the use of shaping over autoshaping can best be outlined by the complexity of the desired behaviors. When behaviors are complex and not likely to be performed spontaneously, shaping is used to teach an organism, step-by-step, gradually reinforcing successive approximations towards the target behavior. In contrast, autoshaping is more passive and occurs when an animal forms an association between a behavior and a reinforcement without deliberate intervention. Shaping requires the intervention of an experimenter or trainer to reinforce each step towards the complex target behavior, making it more suitable for teaching a sequence of behaviors that would not naturally occur.