ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the differences between conditioned reinforcers, unconditioned reinforcers, generalized conditioned reinforcers, backup reinforcers, and token reinforcers. It describes factors that influence the effectiveness of conditioned reinforcement in behavior modification programs. When a stimulus becomes a conditioned reinforcer through deliberate association with other reinforcers, the other reinforcers are called backup reinforcers. Tokens are conditioned reinforcers that can be accumulated and exchanged for backup reinforcers. A behavior modification program in which individuals can earn tokens for specific behaviors and can cash in their tokens for backup reinforcers is called a token system or a token economy. A conditioned reinforcer that is paired with a single backup reinforcer is called a simple conditioned reinforcer. In contrast, a stimulus that is paired with more than one kind of backup reinforcer is referred to as a generalized conditioned reinforcer. The reinforcing power of a conditioned reinforcer depends in part on the number of different backup reinforcers with which it has been paired.
