Which statement describes a secondary reinforcer?

• A. It is innately rewarding.
• B. It is a punishment used to reduce behavior.
• C. It takes on value after being repeatedly associated with a primary reinforcer.
• D. It is a stimulus that naturally triggers a response.

Answer: (C)

Secondary reinforcers gain their reinforcing value through learning, specifically by being repeatedly paired with a primary reinforcer such as food, warmth, or shelter. They don’t feel rewarding on their own at first, but through association with a primary reward they become valued and able to strengthen future behavior. This is why a statement saying it takes on value after being repeatedly associated with a primary reinforcer best describes them. In practice, things like praise, money, or a clicker become effective because they predict or lead to a primary reward. By contrast, primary reinforcers are innately rewarding, punishment is used to decrease behavior rather than reinforce it, and a stimulus that naturally triggers a response is an unconditioned or reflexive elicitation, not a learned reinforcer.