When it comes to training dogs and other animals, I like to use markers like a click or a word like YES! immediately after a behavior and before I present something my student values like food, a toy, a scratch on the head, or the opportunity to go outside. From an Applied Behavior Analysis perspective, those consequences to behavior are called primary and secondary reinforcers.
They are all important to my being able to teach effectively, in different ways.
What are primary vs secondary reinforcers?
Primary reinforcers are naturally reinforcing and do not need to be learned. They fulfill a biological need and are not dependent on their association with other reinforcers. Examples include food, sleep, water, sexual stimulation, or relief from heat or cold.
There are relatively fewer choices for primary reinforcers and they have the potential for losing their value more quickly depending on environmental factors. Food for example is of greater value when the animal is hungry or hasn’t had that particular food type in a while. Playing is of greater value after an animal is fully rested.
Secondary reinforcers have value and thus the ability to strengthen behavior because of their association with primary reinforcers. In other words, their history of being paired with primary reinforcers makes them take on the value of the primary reinforcer. Some examples include your verbal praise, smile, or head scratch.
‘Association’ is the important word here. Secondary reinforcers will lose their power to be effective if they are not paired with primary reinforcers AT LEAST some of the time.
Here is the beauty of understanding this. The opportunity to create more secondary reinforcers is really limitless. If you pair or follow hand gestures, head rubs, or even laughter enough times with a primary reinforcer, those things can become secondary reinforcers.
Similarly, if your verbal praise or smile are not followed by other reinforcers at least some of the time, they will lose value too. If that praise is followed by something aversive to your pet…well, then that praise can come to be associated with that aversive (negative) thing.
Watch for upcoming additional posts on reinforcer types coming soon!
