Backup Reinforcer

A backup reinforcer is a reward in exchange for earned tokens (associated with a token economy reward system). This is used in behavior modification; for instance, a patient who practices good hygiene is given a chip as a token of his adaptive behavior. The number of chips that he has at the end of the week will be counted and will be equated with a backup reinforcer.

For example, 1 to 2 chips will make the patient receive a small chocolate bar; 3 to 4 chips means having a medium candy bar, 4 to 5 chips is having a slice of his favorite pizza, 6 chips means having 1 ½ slices of pizza, and 7 chips is equated to having 2 slices of pizza and having a medium candy bar.