Stimulus Fading
Also called: stimulus shaping, within-stimulus prompt fading
Definition
Gradually changing a physical feature of the teaching stimulus — size, color, position, intensity — that was added to make the correct response likely, until the stimulus is in its natural form. Stimulus shaping is the related method of gradually changing the shape of the stimulus itself.
In plain language
Making the right answer stand out at first, such as bigger or brighter, then slowly making it look normal again.
Example
The correct picture starts out three times larger than the others and shrinks a little each session.
Not stimulus fading
Waiting a little longer before pointing to the correct picture. Delaying a response prompt is time delay.
Commonly confused with
See also
Written from
- terrace-1963
- green-2001
Written from Terrace (1963) and Green (2001). No textbook glossary consulted.
This entry has not yet been through clinical review. Treat it as a draft.