Which statement describes primary reinforcement?

Which statement describes primary reinforcement?

• A. It is verbal praise.
• B. It is physical reward or correction.
• C. It is the removal of an aversive after a task.
• D. It is a time-out procedure.

Answer: (B)

Primary reinforcement means a consequence that reinforces behavior because it directly satisfies a biological need and doesn’t require prior learning. A physical reward fits this best because giving something tangible—like food or a bite-sized treat—immediately after the desired action taps into a basic need and is inherently rewarding. Verbal praise, while powerful, is a secondary reinforcer that becomes reinforcing through association with primary rewards. Removing an aversive after a task describes negative reinforcement, which increases behavior by taking away an unpleasant stimulus, not by providing a biologically based reward. A time-out is a punishment technique used to decrease behavior rather than to reinforce it.

Primary reinforcement means a consequence that reinforces behavior because it directly satisfies a biological need and doesn’t require prior learning. A physical reward fits this best because giving something tangible—like food or a bite-sized treat—immediately after the desired action taps into a basic need and is inherently rewarding. Verbal praise, while powerful, is a secondary reinforcer that becomes reinforcing through association with primary rewards. Removing an aversive after a task describes negative reinforcement, which increases behavior by taking away an unpleasant stimulus, not by providing a biologically based reward. A time-out is a punishment technique used to decrease behavior rather than to reinforce it.