Corporal Punishment

4 Pages 1082 Words

Corporal punishment is defined as “the use of physical force with the intention of causing a child to experience pain, but not injury, for purposes of correction or control of the child’s behavior” (Walsh, 2002). Society views physical punishment in different ways. Some see it as a necessity to reinforce a child’s behavior. Others see this type of punishment as an ineffective and violent way to discipline the child.
Spanking is a type of corporal punishment, and it is also what I centered my research on. It refers to striking a child with an open hand on the buttocks or extremities with the intention of modifying behavior without causing physical injury (Saadeh, 2002). This has caused controversy in today’s society because many people believe it is wrong while others see it as a means to discipline their child. Some people have gone to the extreme and have tried to get spanking banned in the United States.
Between 70% and 90% of parents spank their children at least occasionally (Saadeh, 2002). This percentage shows that most parents must think they are doing something positive for the child. Most arguments for and against corporal punishment are commonly cited as if they were based on scientific evidence, but the fact is that they most often come from cultural, religious, and personal views(Roberts, 2002). This makes it difficult to decide what type of discipline works best for the child. The facts need to be based on scientific studies to ensure children will develop in a positive and loving environment.


Spankers
Although society, as a whole, agrees that physically injuring a child is never appropriate, some do believe that physically disciplining their child is a mandatory form of punishment. According to Saadeh, people who think spanking is an appropriate form of discipline support their position with well thought out and tested arguments (2002). The findings show that spanking is not associated wi...