There are various ways one can discipline a child and physical or corporal punishment is one of the tactics frequently employed by parents as disciplinary action. Physical punishment refers to the act of hitting a child to control undesired behavior. Spanking is one such example of physical punishment that 75% parents use in USA to discipline their wards. The concept of positive punishment was first used by psychologist B. F. Skinner in his theory of operant conditioning and spanking is a positive punishment because it aims at discouraging an inappropriate behavior by presenting an adverse outcome. Though there are debates galore on spanking not being a proper technique to discipline a child, some studies have shown that spanking is good when done with good intent. Marjorie Gunnoe, a professor of psychology found in his study that "children spanked up to the age of 6 were likely as teenagers to perform better at school and were more likely to carry out volunteer work and to want to go to college than their peers who had never been physically disciplined” (Selwyn Duke). In view of the principles of learning theory spanking is an appropriate action of punishment to inculcate discipline in a disobedient child when done with a good intent of teaching discipline.
Spanking is an act of hitting a child's buttock openhandedly. Spanking also includes striking a child with a stick or spoon, slapping on the face and smacking a child's hand. In psychology we often use the term reinforcement theory which refers to the process of reinforcing discipline through a combination of rewards and punishments. According to reinforcement theory punishment is an aversive technique employed to discourage an inappropriate behavior. Physical punishment the most common form of which is spanking is a disciplinary measure to teach a child that a negative behavior deserves punishment and since punishment is not favorable to children, they stop misbehaving in order to avoid it.
Spanking or physical punishment when used with positive intent is likely to bring positive outcome, but as with everything else whether or not a positive message would be sent across to a child depends on the way a physical punishment is meted out. A parent should never hit a child when he is angry or take his frustration out on the child. Spanking delivered with the intent of showing power or authority and spanking delivered with the intent of inculcating discipline beget different results. When a parent who normally doesn't hit a child and is very caring hits the child for an inappropriate action would definitely make the child realize that he might have done something wrong to deserve punishment. On the other hand, parents who spank their children for nothing but to show authority and take their frustration out would make the child rebellious and more violent.
There are many psychologists and pediatricians who believe spanking promotes violence and may harm a child psychologically by instilling fear and inciting aggressive behavior, but if that is true then any disciplinary action bordering on violence should be viewed in the same light. For example, when a law breaker resists arrest, police are to take coercive action to put him to prison and if that is deemed as logical behavior then the action of parents hitting children with the intention of discipline should not be viewed in negative light because sometimes a child's unruliness and disobedience might cross all the boundaries for a parent to hold patience any longer and physical punishment remains the only way to stop the child misbehaving.
In conclusion, physical punishment is appropriate when delivered with a good intent of teaching discipline. The reinforcement theory of psychology expounds the fact that punishment is an unfavorable consequence which if presented to the children right way would definitely decrease the unwanted behavior. But physical punishment should never be used on children to show authority or take frustration out; rather it should be aimed at making the child realize that his misdemeanor is culpable. Physical punishment should be viewed in the same light as other disciplinary action and not as violence. If properly implemented, physical punishment would only do well to a child by making him disciplined.
Works Cited
Duke, Selwyn. New Study Finds Spanking Is Good for Kids, New American, 6 Jan. 2010. Web. 12 June. 2013. <http://www.thenewamerican.com/culture/family/item/548-new-study-finds-spanking-is-good-for-kids>
Moninger, Jeannette. The Great Spanking Debate, Parents Magazine, Jan. 2012. Web. 12 June. 2013. <http://www.parents.com/toddlers-preschoolers/discipline/spanking/spanking-discipline-debate/>
Cherry, Kendra. What Is Punishment?, About.com Guide, Web. 12 June. 2013. <http://psychology.about.com/od/operantconditioning/f/punishment.htm>
