Study: Spanking Kids Leads to More Aggressive Behavior

[xMinionX]

Study: Spanking Kids Leads to More Aggressive Behavior - Yahoo! News

The reason for that, says Singer, may be that spanking instills fear rather than understanding. Even if a child were to stop his screaming tantrum when spanked, that doesn't mean he understands why he shouldn't be acting out in the first place. What's more, spanking models aggressive behavior as a solution to problems.

 

[shinbits]

it's all in how spanking is done. if spanking is done out of anger, for example, rather than with love and control, or if it's used frequently rather than as a last resort, than spanking is being done improperly.

this study doesn't reveal much. any form of punishment can lead to agressive behavior if done wrong.

 

[grasping the after wind]

Is it possible that more aggressive children are spanked more often because they are inherently more aggressive and in greater need of behavioral modification? Doesn't the study actually show that excessive use of spanking (more than twice a month) correlates with aggressive behavior? Put another way Aggressive behavior correlates with excesssive spanking (more than twice per month).

 

[shinbits]

I was spanked a lot as kid, yet was (and still am) the most nonviolent person you will ever meet. I often backed down from fights, even from kids smaller than me. the only fights I've ever been in were fights that I absolutely could not avoid.

 

[grasping the after wind]

I was spanked a lot as kid, yet was (and still am) the most nonviolent person you will ever meet. I often backed down from fights, even from kids smaller than me. the only fights I've ever been in were fights that I absolutely could not avoid.

Was that because of your being spanked or because you were naturally a passive child? And if you were a naturally passive child why did you receive so many spankings?

 

[shinbits]

Was that because of your being spanked or because you were naturally a passive child?

there were times I didn't get into fights in school, because I thought I'd get in trouble when I got home. I also had a sister who was extremely moody and angry a lot, who used to hit me a lot. I rarely ever hit her back, because it would result in me getting hit, though I would always bear the urge to pop her one.

so I'd that spanking curbed a lot of potential violence on my part.

 

[Corey]

Is it possible that more aggressive children are spanked more often because they are inherently more aggressive and in greater need of behavioral modification? Doesn't the study actually show that excessive use of spanking (more than twice a month) correlates with aggressive behavior? Put another way Aggressive behavior correlates with excesssive spanking (more than twice per month).

I'm going to pipe in here. Most behavior is due to situational constraints. Your dispositional evaluation (inherent aggression) is somewhat meaningless in that context.

That isn't to say there isn't an individual difference (but it's likely due to knowledge of conflict resolution strategies rather than some sort of personality factor).

Spanking teaches children that aggression can be an appropriate tool for conflict resolution. These children now have that in their mental toolbox.

Parents are also very powerful rolemodels, and powerfulness is an important factor in determining if the model will be followed.

Put those two together and you can easily see the chain of events that leads to greater perceived aggression.

I have a different set of questions.

• Was this only physical aggression?
• What about relational aggresssion?
• What gender effects were there? Was this only looking at boys?
• Was there any attempt at analyzing differences in effect based on the lead-up to corporal punishment (i.e., first resort, last resort, use of other disciplinary tactics, etc).

 

[BenjaminW]

My parents spanked me on occasion, and I think I turned out mostly fine. (Except for being agoraphobic, but I doubt that's connected.)

Though, if I ever manage to have kids, I certainly would not spank them.

 

[jpcedotal]

This study was meaningless....

 

[revanneosl]

Spanking children teaches them, among other things, that assault is sometimes the appropriate response to a problem.

Also, that it's okay for some people to assault others.

 

[grasping the after wind]

I'm going to pipe in here. Most behavior is due to situational constraints. Your dispositional evaluation (inherent aggression) is somewhat meaningless in that context.

That isn't to say there isn't an individual difference (but it's likely due to knowledge of conflict resolution strategies rather than some sort of personality factor).

Spanking teaches children that aggression can be an appropriate tool for conflict resolution. These children now have that in their mental toolbox.

Parents are also very powerful rolemodels, and powerfulness is an important factor in determining if the model will be followed.

Put those two together and you can easily see the chain of events that leads to greater perceived aggression.

I have a different set of questions.

• Was this only physical aggression?
• What about relational aggresssion?
• What gender effects were there? Was this only looking at boys?
• Was there any attempt at analyzing differences in effect based on the lead-up to corporal punishment (i.e., first resort, last resort, use of other disciplinary tactics, etc).

Do you have any factual evidence to back up your assertions that most behavior is due to situational constraints and spanking teaches that aggression is an appropriate tool? I did not make a dispositional evaluation I merely suggested the possibility of of genetic variance.

 

[Corey]

Do you have any factual evidence to back up your assertions that most behavior is due to situational constraints and spanking teaches that aggression is an appropriate tool? I did not make a dispositional evaluation I merely suggested the possibility of of genetic variance.

How many citations would you like?

You do realize that you've just asked me to essentially give you a list similar to what you will find in a social psychology textbook.

 

[grasping the after wind]

How many citations would you like?

You do realize that you've just asked me to essentially give you a list similar to what you will find in a social psychology textbook.

Give me as many as you want but make sure that they are credible and actually back up what you assert.

 

[Sitswithamouse]

Spanking children teaches them, among other things, that assault is sometimes the appropriate response to a problem.

Also, that it's okay for some people to assault others.

+ 1

When you spank a child you enforce that to solve a problem hitting is the solution. When that child confronts a problem and gets angry they will mimic their elders.
But there are other factors in this....
To strike in anger is the adults inability to deal with a situation, they become angry and hit the child because they feel nothing else will work.
When the child gets angry he/she will either hit out and stike or be afraid of confrontation because he/she does not want the same confrontation and fears being hit back.

This type of discipline is a two edged sword. Some children will respond and react as their parents did to them, some children will not be able to even strike back at others who abuse/hit them because their parents have enforced that to fight back will result in pain and hurt and tears.

To discipline children you have to make them understand that they will be punished for their bad behaviour and that could include grounding, take away their allowance , take something away they value.

But you must also reward them for their good behaviour and encourage them and it does not have to be money all the time, more a system where if they do something good so many times a week they can have a treat/day out.
If they misbehave take a treat away.
They soon learn that sugar is better than vinegar and you also re-inforce that bad behaviour will not be rewarded and that in some cases with bad discipline children will feel that is the only way to get attention.

It is a very complicated proccess and every case is different , but smacking and spanking or violent behaviour is not the way forward.

I say this as a mum/mom who did spank her kids a long time ago and realised this was not a good thing. ETA I was spanked as a child also.

Just saying....

 

[cherokee's friend]

I agree that being harsh doesn't work in making kids listen. I think it has made me distant from my grandparents (who raised me) because they think that using harsh discipline is the right way to deal with kids. I think that spanking and yelling at kids makes them want to rebel even more. Kids are more willing to listen to people who gently but firmly correct them instead of being stern with them.

 

[clarksided]

some children need to demonstrate a little more aggression

 

[rambot]

I love that people who are in favour are spanking state that, so long as it's done with love and with a good talk explaining to the child what they did wrong, spanking is great.

Not for a minute thinking that it is the words being expressed that is teaching the lesson; not the hitting. If the lesson is in the words then the consequence should be tied to the message; that's sensible. If the lesson is in the punishment itself (spanking) then you'll teach fear.

 

[nolongerhome]

Can someone tell me how to spank with love rather than anger?

 

[grasping the after wind]

Can someone tell me how to spank with love rather than anger?

If you can't figure that out then you should probably never spank. Can you administer any kind of punishment to a child with love rather than anger? I don't believe that any punishment that is the result of anger will be seen by children as fair and therefore will not be of use in teaching the child correct behavior.

 

[nolongerhome]

If you can't figure that out then you should probably never spank. Can you administer any kind of punishment to a child with love rather than anger? I don't believe that any punishment that is the result of anger will be seen by children as fair and therefore will not be of use in teaching the child correct behavior.

That wasn't an answer. The fact you didn't give an answer suggests to me that you can't figure it out, either.

Please, tell me how one spanks a child with love.