What could the stickers earned by the first grade students in return for good performance also be referred to as?

The stickers earned by first-grade students for good performance are best referred to as secondary reinforcers. Secondary reinforcers are stimuli that acquire their reinforcing properties through association with primary reinforcers, which are naturally rewarding and fulfill basic biological needs, such as food, water, and shelter. In this context, the stickers do not have intrinsic value but become rewarding because they are linked to the approval or praise resulting from good performance.

The stickers serve to encourage desired behaviors, such as improved academic performance, by providing a tangible reward that students seek. Over time, students may learn to associate the stickers with the positive feelings or rewards related to achievement, making the stickers effective in promoting further learning and motivation.

Primary reinforcers, on the other hand, are inherently valuable and do not require any learning or conditioning to be effective. Unconditioned stimuli relate more to classical conditioning, where a natural response occurs without prior learning. Intrinsic motivators involve engaging in a behavior because it is inherently enjoyable or satisfying, rather than due to an external reward like stickers.