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How does physical punishment affect a child?

How does physical punishment affect a child?

Physical punishment is associated with increased child aggression, antisocial behaviour, lower intellectual achievement, poorer quality of parent–child relationships, mental health problems (such as depression), and diminished moral internalisation.

Why do parents think punishment does not work?

Because the child is inhibited in your presence, it’s easy to think they would be inhibited in your absence. Punishment produces politeness, not morality. Thus, the inhibited, obedient child inadvertently reinforces the parent’s punitive behavior by acting obedient (for the sorts of parents who find obedient children reinforcing).

When was the punishment of children generally accepted?

As recently as 20 years ago, the physical punishment of children was generally accepted worldwide and was considered an appropriate method of eliciting behavioural compliance that was conceptually distinct from physical abuse.

When do you need to use punishment to make a child change?

But even then, the tendency (or desire) to engage in the punished behavior will not change. Sometimes, of course, punishment is necessary, like when you stop a child from running into a busy street. But if you want it to stick, you have to reinforce a behavior that competes with running into the street (like stopping and waiting for the light).

How does physical punishment affect a child’s development?

Numerous studies have found that physical punishment increases the risk of broad and enduring negative developmental outcomes. No study has found that physical punishment enhances developmental health. Most child physical abuse occurs in the context of punishment.

But even then, the tendency (or desire) to engage in the punished behavior will not change. Sometimes, of course, punishment is necessary, like when you stop a child from running into a busy street. But if you want it to stick, you have to reinforce a behavior that competes with running into the street (like stopping and waiting for the light).

Why is it important to explain punishment to children?

The important thing is to give a clear explanation for the punishment, so that the child can associate it with the bad behaviour. Teachers work to understand what causes bad behaviour in an individual child because it is sometimes leads to a deeper issue which requires attention rather than punishment.

Because the child is inhibited in your presence, it’s easy to think they would be inhibited in your absence. Punishment produces politeness, not morality. Thus, the inhibited, obedient child inadvertently reinforces the parent’s punitive behavior by acting obedient (for the sorts of parents who find obedient children reinforcing).

Is it true that punishment does not change behavior?

The reliability of this phenomenon demonstrates that punishment does not change the tendency to engage in the behavior that was punished. Instead, it makes the person or the rat want to avoid the source of punishment.

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