Spanking is a form of corporal punishment involving the act of striking,with either the palm of the hand or an implement,the buttocks of a person to cause physical pain. The term spanking broadly encompasses the use of either the hand or implement,the use of implements can also refer to the administration of more specific types of corporal punishment such as caning,paddling and slippering.
A corporal punishment or a physical punishment is a punishment which is intended to cause physical pain to a person. When it is inflicted on minors,especially in home and school settings,its methods may include spanking or paddling. When it is inflicted on adults,it may be inflicted on prisoners and slaves.
A time-out is a form of behavioral modification that involves temporarily separating a person from an environment where an unacceptable behavior has occurred. The goal is to remove that person from an enriched,enjoyable environment,and therefore lead to extinction of the offending behavior. It is an educational and parenting technique recommended by most pediatricians and developmental psychologists as an effective form of discipline. During time-outs,a corner or a similar space is designated,where the person is to sit or stand. This form of discipline is especially popular in Western cultures.
Physical abuse is any intentional act causing injury,trauma,bodily harm or other physical suffering to another person or animal by way of bodily contact. Physical abuse is a type of abuse that involves physical violence,such as hitting,kicking,pushing,biting,choking,throwing objects,and using weapons. Physical abuse also includes using restraints or confinement,such as tying someone up,locking them in a room,or restraining them with drugs or alcohol. Physical abuse can also include withholding basic needs,such as food,clothing,or medical care. In addition to the physical injuries caused by physical abuse,it can also lead to psychological trauma,such as fear,anxiety,depression,and post-traumatic stress disorder. Physical abuse can occur in any relationship,including those between family members,partners,and caregivers. It can also occur in institutional settings,such as nursing homes,schools,and prisons. Physical abuse can have long-term physical,psychological,and social consequences,and can even be fatal.
Child discipline is the methods used to prevent future unwanted behaviour in children. The word discipline is defined as imparting knowledge and skill,in other words,to teach. In its most general sense,discipline refers to systematic instruction given to a disciple. To discipline means to instruct a person to follow a particular code of conduct.
School violence includes violence between school students as well as attacks by students on school staff. It encompasses physical violence,including student-on-student fighting,corporal punishment;psychological violence such as verbal abuse,and sexual violence,including rape and sexual harassment. It includes many forms of bullying and carrying weapons to school. The one or more perpetrators typically have more physical,social,and/or psychological power than the victim. It is a widely accepted serious societal problem in recent decades in many countries,especially where weapons such as guns or knives are involved.
A spanking paddle is an implement used to strike a person on the buttocks. The act of spanking a person with a paddle is known as "paddling". A paddling may be for punishment,or as an initiation or hazing ritual.
Child abuse is physical,sexual,emotional and/or psychological maltreatment or neglect of a child,especially by a parent or a caregiver. Child abuse may include any act or failure to act by a parent or a caregiver that results in actual or potential harm to a child and can occur in a child's home,or in organizations,schools,or communities the child interacts with.
The term cycle of violence refers to repeated and dangerous acts of violence as a cyclical pattern,associated with high emotions and doctrines of retribution or revenge. The pattern,or cycle,repeats and can happen many times during a relationship. Each phase may last a different length of time,and over time the level of violence may increase. The phrase has been increasingly widespread since first popularized in the 1970s.
In sociology and psychology,poisonous pedagogy,also called black pedagogy,is any traditional child-raising methods which modern pedagogy considers repressive and harmful. It includes behaviours and communication that theorists consider to be manipulative or violent,such as corporal punishment.
A parenting style is a pattern of behaviors,attitudes,and approaches that a parent uses when interacting with and raising their child. The study of parenting styles is based on the idea that parents differ in their patterns of parenting and that these patterns can have a significant impact on their children's development and well-being. Parenting styles are distinct from specific parenting practices,since they represent broader patterns of practices and attitudes that create an emotional climate for the child. Parenting styles also encompass the ways in which parents respond to and make demands on their children.
Diana Blumberg Baumrind was a clinical and developmental psychologist known for her research on parenting styles and for her critique of the use of deception in psychological research.
School corporal punishment is the deliberate infliction of physical pain as a response to undesired behavior by students. The term corporal punishment derives from the Latin word for the "body",corpus. In schools it may involve striking the student on the buttocks or on the palms of their hands with an implement such as a rattan cane,wooden paddle,slipper,leather strap or wooden yardstick. Less commonly,it could also include spanking or smacking the student with an open hand,especially at the kindergarten,primary school,or other more junior levels.
Physical or corporal punishment by a parent or other legal guardian is any act causing deliberate physical pain or discomfort to a minor child in response to some undesired behavior. It typically takes the form of spanking or slapping the child with an open hand or striking with an implement such as a belt,slipper,cane,hairbrush or paddle,whip,hanger,and can also include shaking,pinching,forced ingestion of substances,or forcing children to stay in uncomfortable positions.
In American schools,corporal punishment is a form of violence performed on students that involves the use of physical force to cause bodily pain or discomfort in response to undesired behavior. While often viewed as a form of discipline intended to improve this,there is a consensus among medical organizations that it typically has the opposite effect on those it is performed on,often leading to aggressive behavior and less long-term obedience. Other adverse effects,such as depression,anxiety,anti-social behavior have also been shown. Because of this,pediatrician groups,children's rights organizations,and legal systems have increasingly seen the practice as a form of child abuse. The practice is predominately performed on boys and disabled children in the United States.
Christopher J. Ferguson is an American psychologist who serves as a professor and co-chair of psychology at Stetson University in Florida. He previously served as an associate professor of psychology and criminal justice at Texas A&M International University. In 2014,he was named a fellow of the American Psychological Association. Ferguson is also a published author who has written both fiction and nonfiction.
Corporal punishment of minors in the United States,meaning the infliction of physical pain or discomfort by parents or other adult guardians,including in some cases school officials,for purposes of punishing unacceptable attitude,is subject to varying legal limits,depending on the state. Minor children in the United States commonly experience some form of corporal punishment,such as spanking or paddling. Despite opposition from medical and social-services professionals,as of 2023,the spanking of children is legal in all 50 states and,as of 2014,most people still believe it is acceptable provided it does not involve implements. Corporal punishment is in the United States usually considered distinct from illegal child abuse,although the distinction can often be vague.
The legality of corporal punishment of children varies by country. Corporal punishment of minor children by parents or adult guardians,which is intended to cause physical pain,has been traditionally legal in nearly all countries unless explicitly outlawed. According to a 2014 estimate by Human Rights Watch,"Ninety percent of the world's children live in countries where corporal punishment and other physical violence against children is still legal". Many countries' laws provide for a defence of "reasonable chastisement" against charges of assault and other crimes for parents using corporal punishment. This defence is ultimately derived from English law. As of 2024,only three of seven G7 members including seven of the 20 G20 member states have banned the use of corporal punishment against children.
Emily M. Douglas is a political scientist conducting research on child and family well-being,the child welfare system,fatal child maltreatment,domestic violence and divorced families,and corporal punishment. She is a full professor and the chair of the Department of Social Work and Child Advocacy at Montclair State University.
George Walker Holden is a professor and developmental psychologist working at the Southern Methodist University,where he was the former Chair of the Psychology Department. Holden is the co-founder of the U.S. Alliance to End the Hitting of Children and the author of several books on the subject of child development.
