A technique used to teach a desired behavior by reinforcing increasingly accurate approximations of the behavior
It is progressive disclosure, but for conditioning behaviours. For example, to teach a mouse to press a lever, the mouse is first reinforced to move close to the lever; then reinforced only when it makes contact with the lever; and eventually only when it presses the lever.
It is used in video games - initially easier levels and then require increasingly difficult actions. It is also used in sales - offer a free prize to come to their location, food and drink to discuss the sale and then offer a discount for making a purchase decision that day.
Sometimes, inadvertently some behaviours got reinforced and it become superstitious .
It can be used in learning environments. It does not address the “whys” or “hows” of the task and should therefore be used to teach rote procedures and refine complex motor skills.
It is being increasingly used to train complex behaviours in artificial beings and should be considered when developing adaptive systems.
Example: Project Pigeon.