Nash's Innovative Training Method for Indigo: Shaping Behavior in A Hyacinth Macaw

Nash's Creative Training Method

Nash is fed up with hearing his friends brag about the tricks their dogs can do, so he decides to train Indigo, his hyacinth macaw, how to shoot a basketball, using a bird-size ball and hoop. He starts out by giving Indigo a treat for touching the ball with its beak. When Indigo reliably touches the ball, Nash begins reinforcing Indigo for picking the ball up in its beak, and, behavior by behavior, eventually trains Indigo to shoot hoops. Nash is using ____.

What training method is Nash using?

Answer:

Shaping

Explanation:

The method of creating a behavior that is not actually practiced or learned by a person is referred to as Shaping. It is also be described as a process that includes reinforcing behaviors that are similar to the desired behavior, also known as successive approximations. The concept implies promoting behavior that is successively closer and closer to the approximation of the ideal or intended behavior. However, by improving behavior that is similar and similar to the ideal behavior, the appropriate behavior may be taught or learned.