Final answer:
The correct answer is that negative reinforcers increase the rate of operant responding, while punishments decrease it. Negative reinforcement involves removing an unpleasant stimulus to increase a behavior, whereas punishment entails applying or removing a stimulus to decrease a behavior.
Step-by-step explanation:
Which of the following is true of negative reinforcement and punishment? The correct answer is A) Negative reinforcers increase the rate of operant responding; punishments decrease the rate of operant responding.
Negative reinforcement involves the removal of an unpleasant stimulus to increase the likelihood and frequency of a behavior. For instance, the seatbelt alarm in a car that stops once you buckle up is an example of negative reinforcement because it increases the likelihood of you fastening the seatbelt in the future.
On the other hand, punishment, whether positive or negative, is designed to decrease a behavior. An example of positive punishment is scolding a student to stop them from texting in class. Negative punishment could involve taking away a child's favorite toy to reduce undesirable behavior.