Which term refers to the items to which tokens are exchanged in a token economy?

Which term refers to the items to which tokens are exchanged in a token economy?

• A. Back-up reinforcer
• B. Token
• C. Primary reinforcer
• D. Punisher

Answer: (A)

In a token economy, tokens act as placeholders that learners earn for demonstrating targeted behavior and then trade in for the actual rewards. The items or activities that tokens can be exchanged for are called back-up reinforcers. That makes sense because the value of the tokens comes from their ability to purchase these real rewards, not from the tokens themselves. The other ideas don’t fit as well: the token is the intermediary, not the reward itself; a primary reinforcer is something innately satisfying (like food or warmth) and doesn’t involve tokens; a punisher is something that decreases behavior, which isn’t what the exchange is about.

In a token economy, tokens act as placeholders that learners earn for demonstrating targeted behavior and then trade in for the actual rewards. The items or activities that tokens can be exchanged for are called back-up reinforcers. That makes sense because the value of the tokens comes from their ability to purchase these real rewards, not from the tokens themselves.

The other ideas don’t fit as well: the token is the intermediary, not the reward itself; a primary reinforcer is something innately satisfying (like food or warmth) and doesn’t involve tokens; a punisher is something that decreases behavior, which isn’t what the exchange is about.