Shaping self-initiated toileting in infants.

The team worked with four healthy babies aged 3 to 6 months.

Parents followed a three-step shaping plan at home.

First, they held the baby over a potty at likely times.

Next, they waited for any small reach toward the pot.

Last, they praised each reach so the baby learned to grab the rim before peeing.

Every baby began to reach or grab the potty just before elimination.

All four finished training before their first birthday.

No crying, refusal, or other problems were seen.

Strömberg et al. (2025) later used the same shaping logic through telehealth.

They taught parents of preschoolers with autism to shape eye contact during play.

Both studies show parents can run shaping without extra prompts or candy.

Neumann (1977) took a different path with older males who had intellectual disabilities.

That study used a floating target to autoshape accurate aim.

The 1985 infant paper adds an early step: teaching the signal before the act.

Together they form a timeline: first the cue, then the aim.

You can start potty training much earlier than most parents think.

Watch for tiny movements after diaper changes or feeds.

Reinforce the first small reach and build from there.

Early shaping may cut years of diaper use and avoids power struggles later.