Children's response to a resistance-to-temptation (RTT) task was investigated under three punishment threat conditions: negative consequence, removing an anticipated reward, and no explicit punishment. Ninety first and second graders participated in the RTT task and seventy-three parents completed the Behavior Assessment System for Children and the Psychopathy Screening Device. As only 4% of children transgressed, results are unclear. Hypotheses tested using approximations of transgression showed no differences in RTT. Children with temperaments characterized by hyperactivity, impulsivity, attention problems, and conduct problems (HIA-CP) had the highest levels of psychopathic traits compared to all others. In addition, spanked children were rated as having significantly more behavioral problems than non-spanked children. Limitations of the current study and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Costly ‘altruistic’ punishment, where an individual intervenes to punish someone for behaving unfairly towards another or for violating a social norm, seems to be vital for large-scale cooperation. However, due to the costs involved, the evolution of this behaviour has remained a puzzle. The thesis initially describes why punishment is costly and explains why current theories do not sufficiently explain its evolution in the context of these costs. The thesis then offers a solution to this puzzle in the form of a dominance-based theory of the evolution of punishment. The theoretical underpinnings of this theory are discussed in reference to the previous literature, specifically how a dominant position provides sufficient heterogeneity in the cost and benefits of punishment to allow the behaviour to evolve at the individual-level of selection. Across 10 studies, the thesis empirically investigates the role dominance is theorised to play in costly punishment behaviour. First, the judgements observers make about punishers are investigated. It is demonstrated that punishers are perceived as dominant but, unlike individuals who engage in other aggressive behaviours, punishers are also well liked. While successful punishers are judged to be of the highest rank in a social group, the wider social judgements of punishers are dependent on the attempt at punishment only; successful and unsuccessful punishers are seen as equally dominant and well liked, suggesting that the willingness to attempt punishment can honestly signal both dominance and ones pro-sociality. However, additional studies show that observers a) perceive subordinate punishers will face a great deal of retaliation, b) show surprise when subordinates attempt to punish, and c) expect that dominants will punish and be successful, whereas subordinates are expected to never punish. Thus, while there are reputational benefits from punishment, only dominant individuals can actually access them. Second, the effect of a dominant position on punishment behaviour is investigated. Two studies sought to simulate the greater access to resources that dominants enjoy, and demonstrate that individuals who receive more resources from group-level cooperation will punish free-riding more frequently and more severely than those who receive less resources. Moreover, individuals who are in a stable dominant position, i.e. who can continually benefit to a greater degree than others from group cooperation, punish even more frequently and severely than when individuals receive additional resources alone. The results show that individuals only punish when it is cheap for them to do so and when investment in the public good (by punishing) can produce higher future returns for them. A dominant position provides the opportunity for both of these. Further studies demonstrate that individuals at the centre of a social network, an example of a ‘real life’ informal dominant position, are more sensitive to unfairness when making punishment decisions compared to those at the periphery of a group. However, when punishment decisions are public, and there are no economic incentives to punish, individuals behave in a similar manner regardless of social position. Taken together, the results of the empirical studies support the proposed dominance-theory of costly punishment. The theoretical implications of the dominance-theory of punishment are discussed in reference to both the proximate occurrence of punishment and its evolutionary origins in dominance and dominant behaviours. The practical implications of this theory will also be discussed, specifically in regard to when and why individuals will act in defence of the public good. While further investigation is necessary, a dominance-theory of punishment explains both results of this thesis and the findings of the wider literature, and as such provides a coherent and compelling explanation for the evolution of costly punishment and its associated emotions.

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Education, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Education degree. / Educationalists throughout the ages have supported the belief that corporal punishment creates harmful effects and should be avoided at all costs. Furthermore, corporal punishment has been found to be neither effective nor permanent in stopping undesirable behaviour in the classroom. Despite the evidence however, South Africa frequently used corporal punishment for the sake of discipline, social control and even 'moral education'. In the not too distant past, it was sanctioned by law, by parents and by teachers (Rice, 1987). However, in 1994 judicial corporal punishment was outlawed and corporal punishment at schools became unconstitutional (clause 3(n) of the National Education Policy Bill, 1995; clause 22 of the Gauteng Schools Education Bill). While policy and legislatlon must play their role, this is not enough to bring about a change in the practices and perceptions of teacher's at the grass roots. An understanding of its harmful effects, and recognition of alternatives is necessary in order to bring about its complete abolishment. This study investigates teachers' and pupils attitudes to corporal punishment as well as what discipline strategies are being used and are considered effective. A sample of teachers and pupils were randomly selected from private, oommunity and public high school types. A total of 602 subjects participated in this study (240 teachers and 362 pupils). Responses to an anonymous questionnaire were tabulated and analysed. Findings demonstrated that teachers are ambivalent towards corporal, punishment, while pupils are clearly anti-corporal punishment; and support its abolishment. Teachers do report Key Words: corporal punishment , classroom discipline. alternative discipline strategies used in the classroom. / AC2017

L’étude s’apprête à expliquer le droit de correction sur l’enfant d’après la perspective de la coopération entre la famille et l’État pour la prévention de crimes, et ainsi apporter une contribution au débat en droit actuel sur l’abolition des châtiments corporels domestiques. Eclipsé dans la codification napoléonienne, qui organise cette coopération par le biais de la détention, le châtiment corporel y réapparaît au tournant du XIXe siècle. Pour rendre compte de ce changement de manière optimale, il importait d’étudier la période d’essor de la détention correctionnelle, de 1804 jusqu’à la Troisième République, et connaître ensuite sa période de crise puis de décadence jusqu’à sa stagnation dans la législation. Vers 1880 le paysage juridique des rapports entre la famille et l’État change considérablement, et la coopération autour de la détention correctionnelle se dégrade, moment où on assiste l'émergence de l’apologie à la correction manuelle. / The purpose of the study is to explain the discipline punishment on the child from the perspective of cooperation between family and State for the prevention of crimes, and thus to contribute to the debate by current law on the eradication of corporal punishment. Eclipsed in the Napoleonic codification, which organizes this cooperation through the detention of children, corporal punishment will reappear at the turn of the nineteenth century. To realize this change optimally, it was considered important to study the boom period of the correctional detention, from 1804 until the Third Republic, and then to know its period of crisis and decay to its stagnation in the legislation. Around 1880, the legal landscape of the relationship between family and State changes considerably, and cooperation around the correctional detention deteriorates, when one witnesses the emergence of apology for domestic manual correction.

Photocopy of typescript. / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Fifteen women and five men participated in a study aimed at devising strategies to reduce the use of physical punishment in New Zealand. The potential problems with the use of physical punishment, the extent of its use in New Zealand, and the likelihood of intergenerational transmission are discussed to justify the aim of the study. The participants were all parents who had been smacked themselves, but who had decided not to smack their own children. Their ages ranged from 28 to 57, and only three had less than some tertiary education. They were from various ethnic backgrounds; fourteen had an occupation other than parenting, and nine were single parents. The participants had broken the intergenerational cycle of physical punishment: they had been smacked themselves but did not smack their own children. All participated in an individual, semi-structured interview, in which their childhood physical punishment, their decision not to smack, the maintenance of that decision, and their use of alternative disciplinary techniques were discussed. Four participated in a focus group, in which the strategies suggested in the interviews were discussed and refined to produce a final list of recommendations. The parents made a conscious decision against smacking, which involved a particular experience that prompted them to consider their disciplinary practices. Negative views of smacking (ineffective, modelling violence, and potential to escalate) were also helpful in making the decision. While maintaining their decision was usually easy, alternative techniques were sometimes hard to use, though effective in the long term. Some had to deal with the effects of deviating from a childrearing norm, particularly in regard to other family members. While many were satisfied that their own children were free from physical punishment, some had actively tried to convince other parents not to use it as well. They recommended strategies aimed at achieving the goals of parent education, raising awareness, reducing strain, and increasing support for parents. They also suggested practical steps that individual parents who were interested in breaking the cycle of physical punishment could take. The limitations and strengths of the study are discussed, as well as the implications for further research. The study demonstrates that parenting without physical punishment is effective, desirable, and achievable, even by parents who were smacked themselves. It presents a number of possible strategies and intermediate goals, for interventions at a national, community, or individual level, which aim to reduce the use of physical punishment.

Herbert Morris argues in his influential retributivist paper, "Persons and Punishment," that criminals deserve punishment because their actions represent an unfair distribution of benefits and burdens in society. The proper distribution of benefits and burdens is important, in part, to restore law abiding citizens’ confidence that others will follow the law. In this paper I show that Morris's argument for why criminals deserve punishment morally requires us to set up an institution of rehabilitation in addition to the institution of punishment. Such an institution is morally required because neither pure punishment systems nor punishment systems that incorporate quasi-rehabilitative aspects have ever worked to uphold the necessary confidence that Morris tells us law abiding citizens must have in order to protect the social order. Moreover, we cannot abandon Morris's appeal to the duty to maintain social order without also abandoning a plausibly Morrisian framework.

Education within South Africa has undergone significant change within a short period of time. This change has primarily been written in terms of human rights and the equitable distribution of educational resources. This has necessitated a paradigm shift for many teachers and the study explores some of the factors that have prevented teachers from experiencing a paradigm shift. The introduction of the South African Schools Act of 1996 heralded the start of the complete abolition of corporal punishment within all South African schools. The object of this investigation was to explore teachers' attitudes towards the abolition of corporal punishment and the factors that would contribute towards their attitude. The research explored whether the attitude of teachers, in relation to corporal punishment, had been influenced by the disruptive behaviour of pupils and their perceptions of the efficacy of alternate methods of behaviour management.

Univ., Diss.--Trier, 2004. / Literaturverz. S. 374 - 444.

Thesis (M.S.)--Mississippi State University. Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.