shaping

• Rhymes: -eɪpɪŋ

From Middle English schapynge, equivalent to shape +‎ -ing.

shaping (plural shapings)

1. The action of the verb to shape.
   • 1996, Mike Michael, Constructing Identities: The Social, the Nonhuman and Change:

     In contrast to the (to be sure, productive) shapings and constrainings of human identities in the sociotechnical network, here we have an expansion of identity.

2. (psychology) A method of positive reinforcement of behaviour patterns in a series of steps in operant conditioning.
   • 2015, Ilona Rodan, Sarah Heath, editors, Feline Behavioral Health and Welfare, Elsevier Health Sciences, →ISBN, page 51:

     In general, it's a good idea to know ahead of time what your shaping steps will be and try to get 80% to 100% correct trials during the shaping steps an repeat each step for only 5 to 10 trials in a row.

From Middle English shapinge, shapende, schapende, schappande, from Old English sċyppende, sċeppende, from Proto-West Germanic *skappjandī, from Proto-Germanic *skapjandz, present participle of Proto-Germanic *skapjaną (“to form, shape, create”), equivalent to shape +‎ -ing.

shaping

1. present participle and gerund of shape

• shaping (psychology) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

• hasping, pashing, phasing