The Instrumental Side of Corporal Punishment - Parents' Reported Practices and Outcome Expectancies

Summary The subject of corporal punishment among children is a controversial issue. A vast amount of research has been performed to evaluate the effect of corporal punishment on children. However, rarely has the motivation to use corporal punishment been explored. The studies included in this journal article focus on the parents, and the outcomes they expect to get from different types of punishment. Here the focus is on what the parent believes the immediate, long …

…study that could have skewed the results was the method in which the data was collected. While parents are at a computer answering questions, they have time to reflect and analyze the actions. This problem could have been present especially in the frequently spank group. One problem specific to the second study was clarity. By expanding the study too much, the data obtained became hard to interpret. The results of the second study were confusing.