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Educational Psychology / Unit 4   EDP 0326 short lesson, about 20 seconds

Primary and Secondary Reinforcers

Captions available

The idea

Primary reinforcers satisfy innate needs, such as food, water and touch; secondary reinforcers are learned, gaining value through association, such as praise, money and stickers.

In practice

A sticker means nothing to a toddler until it is linked with approval.

Where people slip

Most classroom reinforcers are secondary, so their value depends on what they have come to stand for.

Your place on the trail

Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.

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