Ace the ABAT Challenge 2025 – Boost Your Behavioral Superpowers!

Conditioned reinforcers are often referred to as secondary reinforcers because they acquire their reinforcing properties through learning and association, rather than being inherently reinforcing. Unlike primary reinforcers, such as food and water that fulfill biological needs, secondary reinforcers gain value through their association with primary reinforcers. For example, a child may learn that receiving praise (a secondary reinforcer) often follows a good behavior that is also rewarded with a treat (a primary reinforcer), thereby increasing the likelihood of the child repeating the good behavior in the future.

This understanding is vital in the context of applied behavior analysis, where modifying behavior relies heavily on utilizing various types of reinforcers to shape and maintain desired behaviors. Recognizing the role of secondary reinforcers in behavioral interventions allows technicians to effectively enhance motivation and engagement.