Reinforcer

A reinforcer is something that encourages or strengthens a behavior. In psychology, when a person or animal receives a reward after doing something, that reward acts as a reinforcer. For example, if a dog sits on command and receives a treat, the treat reinforces the sitting behavior, making it more likely the dog will sit again in the future. Reinforcers can be positive, like rewards, or negative, like removing an unpleasant stimulus. Essentially, reinforcers play a key role in shaping behavior by influencing how often certain actions are repeated.