A stimulus which accompanies a primary reinforcer takes on reinforcement properties of its own. This is known as

• A. Primary reinforcement
• B. Partial reinforcement
• C. Generalized reinforcement
• D. Secondary reinforcement

Answer: (D)

In operant conditioning, a neutral stimulus that is paired with a primary reinforcer can acquire reinforcing properties of its own. This is known as secondary reinforcement (also called conditioned reinforcement). The key idea is that the stimulus itself becomes rewarding because it signals access to the primary reinforcer, even when the primary reinforcer isn’t present. For example, money isn’t biologically rewarding on its own, but it gains value because it can be exchanged for food, shelter, and other needs. Social praise or tokens work the same way. The reinforcer is no longer about satisfying a biological need directly; it’s about the learned association that the stimulus predicts the primary payoff. This distinguishes it from primary reinforcement, which is inherently rewarding, and from partial reinforcement or generalized reinforcement, which refer to reinforcement schedules or a broader category of secondary reinforcers, respectively.