At the National Zoological Park in Washington, D. C., a polar bear suffered a broken tooth and keepers needed a safe way of treating the problem. The bear was rewarded first for sticking its nose through a slot in the cage door, then for allowing a keeper to lift its lip and touch its teeth. Finally, a veterinarian was able to treat the damaged tooth while the bear waited placidly for its familiar reward. This is an example of ________.
A) negative reinforcement
B) secondary learning
C) desensitization
D) shaping

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This situation describes the process of shaping, which involves reinforcing successive approximations towards a desired behavior. In this case, the polar bear was rewarded for initially just sticking its nose through a slot in the cage door, then for allowing a keeper to touch its teeth, until finally it was comfortable enough to allow a veterinarian to treat its broken tooth while remaining calm and receiving a familiar reward. This method of shaping is often used in animal training to gradually shape complex behaviors.