How does punishment affect behaviour in childhood
...ss effective over the long term and often leads to escalation of punishment (Smassberg Z, et al). It teaches children that violence is a solution to conflict and can increase aggression. Research shows that children who are spanked are more likely to use physical force against siblings and peers. A study of kindergarten children used data on corporal punishment obtained by interviews with the mothers of the children. Six months later the children were observed in school. The children of mothers who used physical punishment attacked other children twice as often as the children whose mothers did not. The children of mothers who went beyond ordinary corporal punishment had four times the rate of attacking other children. A similar study found that by 13-35 months of age, children whose parents used severe punishment already displayed more aggression in day care centers than a matched sample of children who were not physically punished. Children who are spanked may come to resent or fear their parents. Research studies have found that 40- 50 percent of the respondents reported they “hated parent” when they were spanked. These emotions keep them from wanting to change their behaviour and from learning to do so. Also each episode of punishment chips away at the bond of affection between parent and child (Straus MA). Children who are spanked may not repeat the misbehaviour, but they obey out of fear. Instead of learning the difference between right and wrong, they learn to differentiate only what does and does not result in a spanking. They rarely learn self-discipline. Spanking also hinders development of empathy, remorse, compassion and conscience, because children spanked as a disciplinary technique focus on their own pain rather than considering the effect of their behaviour on others (Pitzer Ronald). Physical punishment means to control someone through aggression. By doing this, the victim of punishment learns that such behaviour is appropriate and effective. There is evidence that this lesson is quickly learned. The difference between spank...