Annie is being noisy and disrespectful, and her mother gives her a "swat" on her rear end. Annie immediately gets quiet. The next time Annie is being noisy and disrespectful, her mother is most likely to use punishment again. According to research, which of the following is a FALSE statement regarding the use of punishment?
A)Annie's mother will "swat" her again because this punishment worked well the last time.
B)Annie's resulting silence was negatively reinforcing for her mother.
C)"Sparing the rod" on Annie would have resulted in her becoming a "spoiled" child.
D)The overall emotional adjustment of a child disciplined by reward will usually be superior to one disciplined by punishment.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Research indicates that the effectiveness of punishment, such as spanking, in preventing undesirable behavior is not as straightforward as the old adage "spare the rod, spoil the child" suggests. Many studies have found that while punishment might stop undesirable behavior in the short term, it does not necessarily lead to the development of self-discipline or teach the child about appropriate behavior. Moreover, excessive or harsh punishment can lead to negative outcomes, such as increased aggression, antisocial behavior, and poorer emotional adjustment in children. Therefore, the statement that sparing punishment would result in a child becoming "spoiled" is not supported by research, making it a false statement.

Annie Is Being Noisy and Disrespectful, and Her Mother Gives