Which of the following is the best example of a primary reinforcer?

Which of the following is the best example of a primary reinforcer?

Multiple Choice

1: money

2: food

3: grades

4: praise

Answer: 2: food

No other thing can beat the food as a main primary reinforcer among all the ones given. The natural stimuli, which are primal, are often known as the primary reinforcement or primary. The need to which they satisfy is biological such as hunger hence the body needs them without any training or conditioning.

Food acts as a conditioned stimulus, a primary reinforce, the organism finds the thing it requires the most just for survival: the sustenance. The animals, just as humans are the built creatures, they are inscribed to eat and consume the foods, which is an energy and nutrient source for the survival and well-being of the organisms. Since the significance of food consumption started from the baby days and no additional learning or habit formation is required nor needed, this value may be called as innate.

Besides being not as powerful as these other types of reinforces like monetary rewards, class achievement, and praise, they are rather considered secondary or response conditioned reinforces. These secondary reinforces are “acquired” by association with primary reinforces or through secondary learning processes such as social culture However, food, as a primary reinforce, provides a contingency, fulfilling the basic physiological instinct, which is innately rewarding regardless of prior conditioning.