In developmental psychology, what does it mean when we say that progress in shaping is rarely linear and often erratic?

• A. Progress in shaping is usually faster in adults than in children.
• B. Development typically follows a predictable, step-by-step pattern without setbacks.
• C. Shaping always results in immediate mastery of new behaviors.
• D. Individuals may experience periods of rapid improvement, plateaus, or even regressions during the shaping process.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that in developmental psychology, 'shaping' refers to the process of gradually reinforcing successive approximations of a desired behavior.
2. Recognize that progress in shaping is described as 'rarely linear and often erratic' because individuals do not improve in a smooth, continuous way.
3. Identify that this means during shaping, individuals may have periods of rapid improvement where they quickly learn new behaviors.
4. Acknowledge that there can also be plateaus, where progress seems to stall and no noticeable improvement occurs for a time.
5. Finally, understand that regressions or setbacks can happen, where previously learned behaviors temporarily decline before improving again.