Which term describes any reinforcer that becomes reinforcing after being paired with a primary reinforcer, such as praise, tokens, or gold stars?

Which term describes any reinforcer that becomes reinforcing after being paired with a primary reinforcer, such as praise, tokens, or gold stars?

• A. Secondary reinforcer
• B. Primary reinforcer
• C. Punisher
• D. General reinforcer

Answer: (A)

Reinforcement in operant conditioning comes in two broad kinds: primary reinforcers satisfy biological needs directly (like food or water), while secondary reinforcers gain their value by being paired with those primary rewards. Praise, tokens, or gold stars don’t meet a biological need themselves, but they signal that a primary reinforcer is available, so they reinforce the behavior that led to them. That makes them secondary reinforcers (also called conditioned reinforcers). A primary reinforcer would be something like food; a punisher would decrease behavior; a generalized reinforcer is a type of secondary reinforcer that can be exchanged for many primary rewards, but praise and tokens best fit the general idea of a secondary reinforcer.

Reinforcement in operant conditioning comes in two broad kinds: primary reinforcers satisfy biological needs directly (like food or water), while secondary reinforcers gain their value by being paired with those primary rewards. Praise, tokens, or gold stars don’t meet a biological need themselves, but they signal that a primary reinforcer is available, so they reinforce the behavior that led to them. That makes them secondary reinforcers (also called conditioned reinforcers). A primary reinforcer would be something like food; a punisher would decrease behavior; a generalized reinforcer is a type of secondary reinforcer that can be exchanged for many primary rewards, but praise and tokens best fit the general idea of a secondary reinforcer.