People often find positive reinforcement easier to swallow than other methods of training, since it doesn’t involve taking anything away or introducing a negative consequence. It’s also much easier to encourage behaviors than to discourage them, making reinforcement a more powerful tool than punishment in most cases.

Two reasons given to justify punishment is that it is a measure to prevent people from committing an offence – deterring previous offenders from re-offending, and preventing those who may be contemplating an offence they have not committed from actually committing it.

What are the aims of punishment?

• deterrence – punishment should put people off committing crime.
• protection – punishment should protect society from the criminal and the criminal from themselves.
• reformation – punishment should reform the criminal.
• retribution – punishment should make the criminal pay for what they have done wrong.

Another major problem with negative punishment is that while it might reduce the unwanted behavior, it does not provide any information or instruction on more appropriate reactions. B.F. Skinner also noted that once the punishment is withdrawn, the behavior is very likely to return.

Consequences give your child the message that he is capable of taking responsibility for problems and can handle them. The definition of punishment is to cause to suffer. The goal is to inflict hurt, pain, and get even. Punishment causes resentment and rarely teaches a child what you want him to learn.

Punishment is a method of deterring negative behavior that has been passed down through generations. Punishment is effective to subdue unwanted behavior, and it is usually painful, physically or psychologically, so people tend to avoid punishment.

Researchers found that spanking can elevate a child’s aggression levels as well as diminish the quality of the parent-child relationship. Other studies have documented that physical discipline can escalate into abuse. It’s a sad double standard that we don’t give children the same protection against violence.”

Positive punishment can simply be a natural consequence of a certain action. For example, if your child eats whipped cream that has spoiled because they hid it under their bed, they’ll get a stomachache. With that in mind, here are some examples of common positive punishments: Scolding.

Guidelines for punishment

1. All students are aware of which behaviors are punished and how they are punished.
2. Provide appropriate models for acceptable behavior.
3. Offer punishment immediately, consistently, and fairly.
4. Don’t get personal.
5. A natural or logical consequence should be used as often as possible.

Taking away privileges can be an extremely effective discipline strategy when your child misbehaves. Removing privileges also teaches kids that privileges need to be earned. Staying up late, using electronics, and visiting friends is contingent on good behavior.

Experts say 1 minute for each year of age is a good rule of thumb; others recommend using the timeout until the child is calmed down (to teach self-regulation). Make sure that if a timeout happens because your child didn’t follow directions, you follow through with the direction after the timeout.

Use of any implement other than a bare hand is illegal and hitting a child in anger or in retaliation for something a child did is not considered reasonable and is against the law. The Court defined “reasonable” as force that would have a “transitory and trifling” impact on the child.

Yes, your parents can legally ground you at 16. It is called discipline, and you should be grateful that your parents care enough to do this.