A cupcake is an example of a primary reinforcer, whereas a certificate of achievement given to a student is an example of a secondary reinforcer. The primary reinforcers occur naturally and do not need to be learned. Primary reinforcers are biological. Food, drink, and pleasure are basic examples of primary reinforcers. Secondary reinforsers on the other hand are conditioned and require association with these innate reinforcers before they can produce a response.
The operant learning has to do with the learning process in which a behavior is modified by reinforcement or punishment. In this type of learning, the stimuli are presented when a behavior is rewarded or punished come to control that behavior.
