\begin{tabular}{l} Just as it does in classical conditioning, ___ plays a key role in operant \\ conditioning. \\ \hline secondary reinforcement \\ \hline contingency \\ \hline instinctive drift \\ \hline\end{tabular}

In operant conditioning, contingency is crucial as it refers to the correlation between a behavior and its consequences. When a behavior consistently leads to a specific outcome—like a treat for a dog performing a trick—the learner establishes a strong association. This relationship enhances the likelihood of the behavior being repeated, making contingency a vital aspect of effective reinforcement strategies. On the other hand, secondary reinforcement also has an interesting role. While primary reinforcers (like food) satisfy biological needs, secondary reinforcers (like money or praise) acquire their value through association with primary reinforcers. Imagine a child learning that good grades (the secondary reinforcer) can lead to a bigger allowance (the primary reward); suddenly, studying becomes a whole lot more appealing!