ABSTRACT
Shaping can be done accidentally by the untrained and deliberately by the well trained. The opportunities for shaping are enormous, but, as with most acquisition tasks, it is probably best to start small. Making shaping look natural so that no one accuses professional behavior analyst of being manipulative is a requirement, not an option, for behavior analyst. Mediators are particularly sensitive and responsive to well-calculated shaping. In the hands of a well-trained behavior analyst who has excellent professional skills, shaping can be a joy to behold. The complainer, the know-it-all, and the drama queen all present difficulties for everyone around them except the well-grounded behavior analyst, who understands how behavior works. Professional behavior analyst has all the skills needed to change behaviors. The ubiquitous power of reinforcement, applied in small dribbles and drabs throughout the day, produces the complex scene of human behavior that unfolds before us as behavior analysts.
