0:->
February 2nd 07, 07:52 PM
The research pro and con on the issue of spanking (CP) has revolved
frequently about the meaning of "Normative."
The Baumrind-Larzelere et al argument is that harsh CP is not
normative. One voice (among many) that takes the opposite stance, that
harsh punishment IS normative, seems to make the most sense given that
we accept much more harsh CP as normal, both culturally and legally.
Recent victories celebrated by the spanking advocate crowd in support
of parents right to spank have included cases where in fact beatings
that left bruises and even broken skin and the court found in favor of
the parent.
In some cultures even mild spanking ... as defined by the spanking
proponents, a couple of swats with the open hand on a child's
buttocks, is shocking to the culture, though it does of course occur.
Thus for OUR culture, where spanking is performed, as well as other
more creative CP, such as "hot saucing" harsh punishment IS the norm.
Higher frequency, long swatting episodes...that is a higher number of
hits..., and the use of instruments is "normative," despite the cries
of the spanking proponents to the contrary.
If they wish to promote LESS harsh spanking, by citing studies, they
need to admit that the majority of the population has not agreed with
them in the past.
Though we are moving that direction.
What's YOUR normative, and if you hold to the claims made by
Larzerlere and Baumrind, do YOU celebrate the victory in court of
parents to were doing considerably more than spanking with two or
three swats using the open hand?
If so you need to ask yourself about your double standard.
http://www.otago.ac.nz/CIC/publications/0510Smith05ChildrensRights.pdf
[[[ In reference to Gershoff's findings from a meta-analysis of the
research literature ]]]
.... there is a small
group of resea rchers (e.g. Baumrind, 1996a;
Baumrind, Larzelere & Cowan, 2002; Chenoweth
& Just, 2000; Larzelere, 1996a) who believe that
physical punishment, provided that it is "judicious
and limited", is an effective method of achieving
children's immediate compliance. They also say that
Gershoff's findings are based mainly on correlational
research and cannot establish a causal link between
physical punishment and child behaviour (Baumrind
et al., 2002). These researchers argue that the studies
showing negative effects of corporal punishment
focus on the effects of "severe physical punishment"
and do not take sufficient account of frequency or
severity. Larzelere suggests that smacking is an
effective mode of discipline for younger children (two
to six-year-olds) as a back up for the use of milder
disciplinary strategies such as time-out or reasoning.
He has suggested that two smacks on the bottom is
an acceptable degree of punishment, (though does not
specify a desirable frequency - once a day or once a
week). Larzelere (2000, p.215) suggests that corporal
punishment is only effective under the following
conditions:
· it is not too severe;
· the punisher is under control (i.e. not punishing in
anger);
· the age of the children is from two to six years;
· it is accompanied by reasoning;
· it is done privately;
· it is motivated by "concern for the child". ...
(following page in the pdf document)
The Effects of Physical Punishment
As most of the critics of this viewpoint suggest, it
is very unlikely that the vast majority of parent dispensed
corporal punishment fulfils the above criteria.
Moreover, the goal of immediate compliance
is a very limited one, and able to be achieved equally
well by other methods of punishment, which do not
have the same undesirable side effects (Straus &
Stewart, 1999). Straus (2004) cites studies which
compare corporal punishment with alternatives,
such as time-out for one minute, showing that these
alternatives were equally effective in producing child
compliance. ...
The authors apparently function in the real world, as opposed to the
one that so many proponents of spanking populate -- where the criteria
for research is so bounded as to remove the real world, as Baumrind
did in her infamous Berkeley address study.
If I'm grading a sample of apples to determine the rate of bad ones, I
don't remove the top 10% or so of the "really really" bad ones, or I
don't have a true finding.
Time to stop kidding ourselves about the 'spanked' children in this
country.
They aren't routinely gently spanked when they are spanked.
Kane
frequently about the meaning of "Normative."
The Baumrind-Larzelere et al argument is that harsh CP is not
normative. One voice (among many) that takes the opposite stance, that
harsh punishment IS normative, seems to make the most sense given that
we accept much more harsh CP as normal, both culturally and legally.
Recent victories celebrated by the spanking advocate crowd in support
of parents right to spank have included cases where in fact beatings
that left bruises and even broken skin and the court found in favor of
the parent.
In some cultures even mild spanking ... as defined by the spanking
proponents, a couple of swats with the open hand on a child's
buttocks, is shocking to the culture, though it does of course occur.
Thus for OUR culture, where spanking is performed, as well as other
more creative CP, such as "hot saucing" harsh punishment IS the norm.
Higher frequency, long swatting episodes...that is a higher number of
hits..., and the use of instruments is "normative," despite the cries
of the spanking proponents to the contrary.
If they wish to promote LESS harsh spanking, by citing studies, they
need to admit that the majority of the population has not agreed with
them in the past.
Though we are moving that direction.
What's YOUR normative, and if you hold to the claims made by
Larzerlere and Baumrind, do YOU celebrate the victory in court of
parents to were doing considerably more than spanking with two or
three swats using the open hand?
If so you need to ask yourself about your double standard.
http://www.otago.ac.nz/CIC/publications/0510Smith05ChildrensRights.pdf
[[[ In reference to Gershoff's findings from a meta-analysis of the
research literature ]]]
.... there is a small
group of resea rchers (e.g. Baumrind, 1996a;
Baumrind, Larzelere & Cowan, 2002; Chenoweth
& Just, 2000; Larzelere, 1996a) who believe that
physical punishment, provided that it is "judicious
and limited", is an effective method of achieving
children's immediate compliance. They also say that
Gershoff's findings are based mainly on correlational
research and cannot establish a causal link between
physical punishment and child behaviour (Baumrind
et al., 2002). These researchers argue that the studies
showing negative effects of corporal punishment
focus on the effects of "severe physical punishment"
and do not take sufficient account of frequency or
severity. Larzelere suggests that smacking is an
effective mode of discipline for younger children (two
to six-year-olds) as a back up for the use of milder
disciplinary strategies such as time-out or reasoning.
He has suggested that two smacks on the bottom is
an acceptable degree of punishment, (though does not
specify a desirable frequency - once a day or once a
week). Larzelere (2000, p.215) suggests that corporal
punishment is only effective under the following
conditions:
· it is not too severe;
· the punisher is under control (i.e. not punishing in
anger);
· the age of the children is from two to six years;
· it is accompanied by reasoning;
· it is done privately;
· it is motivated by "concern for the child". ...
(following page in the pdf document)
The Effects of Physical Punishment
As most of the critics of this viewpoint suggest, it
is very unlikely that the vast majority of parent dispensed
corporal punishment fulfils the above criteria.
Moreover, the goal of immediate compliance
is a very limited one, and able to be achieved equally
well by other methods of punishment, which do not
have the same undesirable side effects (Straus &
Stewart, 1999). Straus (2004) cites studies which
compare corporal punishment with alternatives,
such as time-out for one minute, showing that these
alternatives were equally effective in producing child
compliance. ...
The authors apparently function in the real world, as opposed to the
one that so many proponents of spanking populate -- where the criteria
for research is so bounded as to remove the real world, as Baumrind
did in her infamous Berkeley address study.
If I'm grading a sample of apples to determine the rate of bad ones, I
don't remove the top 10% or so of the "really really" bad ones, or I
don't have a true finding.
Time to stop kidding ourselves about the 'spanked' children in this
country.
They aren't routinely gently spanked when they are spanked.
Kane