Shaping is used to teach an animal a new behavior, such as a trick.
Shaping is the reinforcement of successive stages of the desired behavior.
It is based on the concept of operant conditioning first advanced by the work of B.F Skinner.
You shaped a dog’s behavior, getting him to jump through a high-standing hoop
by starting with a low hoop and reinforcing the dog’s behavior when he went through the hoop.
You then gradually raised the height of the hoop, reinforcing the dog’s behavior at each stage
until the dog could jump through the highest hoop.
People are often shaped the same way.
For example, consider the way we raise our hands in class to ask questions.