Which training method is characterized by rewarding behaviors that are successively closer to the desired behavior?

The training method characterized by rewarding behaviors that are successively closer to the desired behavior is shaping. This technique involves reinforcing incremental steps or approximations toward a final goal. By selectively rewarding these small, successive behaviors, the trainer guides the animal toward the full behavior they wish to see.

For instance, if you are teaching a dog to roll over, you might start by rewarding the dog for lying down, then for turning its head, and gradually for rolling onto its back, before finally rewarding the full roll over. This step-by-step approach allows the trainer to break down complex behaviors into manageable actions, making it easier for the dog to understand and achieve the final desired behavior.

Other methods mentioned, such as negative reinforcement, focus on removing an adverse stimulus to increase a desired behavior. Pavlovian conditioning, also known as classical conditioning, involves associating a neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus to elicit a conditioned response. Chaining involves linking together a series of individual behaviors into a complete sequence but does not focus on rewarding successive approximations toward a complex behavior. Each of these methods operates under different principles and goals compared to shaping.