What defines a secondary reinforcer?

A secondary reinforcer is characterized as a learned stimulus that gains its reinforcing properties through association with primary reinforcers or other established reinforcers. This means that the value of the secondary reinforcer is not derived from any intrinsic qualities but rather from the experiences or contexts in which it has been paired with stimuli that have innate reinforcement value.

For example, money is a classic secondary reinforcer; it does not satisfy a physiological need directly, but it can be exchanged for goods and services that do fulfill those needs. Over time, individuals learn to associate secondary reinforcers with rewards, which shapes their behaviors and responses.

The other options mention characteristics of different types of stimuli or reinforcers, such as primary reinforcers fulfilling instinctual needs, immediate and tangible aspects of reinforcement, and stimuli that hold no significance prior to association. However, these do not accurately describe the learned nature and association required for something to be classified as a secondary reinforcer. The essence of secondary reinforcement lies in the learning and conditioning that transforms an initially neutral stimulus into a reward through its relationship with a primary reinforcer.