Final answer:
The correct answer is A. Positive and negative reinforcers are designed to increase the probability that a behavior will be repeated. Reinforcement, whether applied continuously or intermittently, strengthens behavior, whereas punishments are meant to weaken or decrease it.
Step-by-step explanation:
Reinforcers, whether they be positive or negative, share the same fundamental effect on behavior, which is to increase the probability that the behavior will be repeated. This means the correct answer to the student's question is A. Increase the probability that the behavior will be repeated. In operant conditioning, positive reinforcement involves adding a desirable stimulus to increase a behavior, while negative reinforcement entails removing an undesirable stimulus also to increase a behavior. Conversely, punishment aims to decrease a behavior and can also be positive (by adding an undesirable stimulus) or negative (by removing a desirable one).
In essence, both types of reinforcement encourage the likelihood of a behavior being repeated. For instance, with continuous reinforcement, rewarding a behavior each time it occurs quickly teaches and strengthens that behavior. On the other hand, extinction occurs when there is a decrease in the conditioned response because the unconditioned stimulus is no longer paired with the conditioned stimulus, resulting in the reduction of the previously learned behavior.