Discovering more about human and animal behavior
This video is part of the free resource section that accompanies the PORTL manual. For this shaping exercise, the teacher wanted the learner to push a toy car sideways across the table. That is, the car would be pushed perpendicular to the direction in which cars usually travel. What happens normally when you give someone a toy … Read more
In PORTL, students practice six foundational skills for shaping. One skill is capturing actions. Certain actions are more likely with certain objects. During this exercise, students practice picking objects that will make certain behaviors more likely to occur. For example, if you wanted a learner to push an object, it would be better to give … Read more
In PORTL, students practice six foundational skills for shaping. One skill is transferring an action from one object to another object. If you want a certain action to occur, it helps to start with an object or group of objects that will make it very easy for the learner to do that action. Once the … Read more
In PORTL, students practice six foundational skills for shaping. One skill is targeting. A “target” gives the learner directional clues. For example, a target can tell the learner to push an object in a certain direction or to put an object in a certain place. This can greatly speed up the shaping process. This video … Read more
In PORTL, students practice six foundational skills for shaping. The first skill is resetting an object. A “reset” occurs when the teacher returns an object to its starting place or position. This make it easier for the learner to repeat a certain behavior and to not practice other behaviors. This video explains the concept of … Read more
This video demonstrates the PORTL reinforcement delivery process. It shows what happens when the correct behavior occurs: – The teacher clicks the clicker. – The learner holds out a hand. – The teacher places a block in the learner’s hand. – The learner places the block in the bowl. – The teacher’s hand returns to … Read more
Adding more duration to a behavior can sometimes be difficult, even for teachers who are good at shaping. When the teacher changes the criteria for reinforcement, the learner may wonder, “Should I do MORE of this same behavior? Or, am I supposed to do a DIFFERENT behavior?” If the learner engages in other behaviors, this … Read more