Reading Report 2

 Choose only three (3), from the eight (8) Problems with the Use of Punishment that are listed in this section. In your own words, briefly outline the problems listed concerning the use of punishment. In your reflection, discuss your personal thoughts about punishment –relate your reflection to real-life experiences (what factors play a role in how we view punishment; does culture play a role?).

1 – Punishing one behavior may simply result in a generalized suppression of other behaviors. A child who has been punished for playing aggressively will not necessarily begin playing more cooperatively; she might instead simply stop playing with other children, which is not at all what was intended.

2 – Punishment might simply teach the individual to avoid the person who delivered the punishment. A child who is severely punished by her father might begin minimizing the time she spends with her father. This would obviously be less than ideal, especially if the father has much to offer the child.

3 – Because punishment often has an immediate effect in stopping an unwanted behavior, the use of punishment is often strongly reinforced. If hitting one’s children has the immediate effect of getting them to stop making noise (an immediate negative reinforcer), then the behavior of hitting them has been strongly reinforced. The use of punishment can therefore be quite seductive, enticing the parent to use it more and more frequently, possibly to the point of becoming abusive.

Example of the report:

Title Page

Three Problems With the Use of Punishment

Personal Reflection (discussion on punishment)