M.Ed. (Educational Psychology) / Far reaching changes on educational, economic and social levels are at present taking place in the Republic of South- Africa. Perceptions with regard to discipline have not remained untouched in this process. The issue of discipline is the root of many problems and much stress in parents, educators and children. This study forms part of a research project initiated by the Department of Educational Sciences at the Rand Afrikaans University. The aim of the project was to establish the prerequisites for disciplining in order to make it more effective and less problematic. The aim of this particular study is to establish how important the social facet of discipline is. Research has been done to establish whether educators (parents and teachers), during the act of disciplining, take cognisance of the effect of discipline on the person and his group. The aspects of the social facet of discipline that received attention in the literature study are amongst others, peer-group pressure, social background of the child, relationship with members of the opposite sex, the child's status amongst his friends and discipline and the values of the community. Following the identification of the above mentioned factors, a questionnaire was compiled to establish perceptions regarding the importance of the social facet of discipline...

The purpose of this study was to develop a survey that would provide professionals with an idea as to the thoughts, feelings, and values that social workers held regarding physical punishment towards a child. Social workers stand in a position to intervene in the intergenerational transmission of violence.