Suarez 1

Matthew Suarez
ENC 1101
23 September 2016
Assignment 3
A lot of parents commonly use spanking as a form of negative reinforcement with their
children. Statistics show that nearly half of all American parents have spanked their childs
posterior with an open hand. Parents believe that spanking facilitates a childs understanding of
what is right and wrong, but over the past couple of decades, the efficacy of spanking has been
debated amongst different groups. Some may claim that spanking creates an emotional barrier
between children and their parents. Others argue that spanking only creates a wider abundance of
mischief in their children. Professional psychologists claim that spanking only increases
aggressive patterns in children, rather than increased conscience. Spanking can only lead to the
detriment of adolescent-guardian relationships, due to the excessive authoritarian power being
held over a child.
Children are known for throwing tantrums when they dont get their way, and as a
punishment for throwing said tantrums, they may be subjected to a good old fashion spanking.
Once the child has been spanked, depending on the level of brutality, they seclude themselves
into their room, and suffer through thoughts of wanting to estrange from their families.
Ultimately, an emotional barrier between a child and their parental guardians can be made. When
a child sees that red hand mark on their posterior post-spanking, the creation of a
psychological/physical branding comes to mind. Thus, creating a sense of fear between the child
and their parents.

Suarez 2
One saying commonly used in American society claims that strict parents create sneaky
kids. The saying exhibits accuracy for a multitude of reasons. On this side of the spectrum, if a
child were to get straight Ds and Fs on their report card, theyd be more prone to hide it from
their parents, rather than just being honest about it. A childs extrinsic motivation comes from the
fear of disappointing their parents, and furthermore, being spanked. Children are more likely to
exude dishonesty and furtiveness as an attempt to prevent their parents from hitting them. Rather
than creating a stimulus of trust and compassion, children will only portray themselves how their
parents want them to be portrayed. Behind the scenes, children will do everything that goes
against their parents sense of morality.
Spanking doesnt only have to be with an open hand. Many parents take it upon
themselves to use other objects such as a shoe, a belt, etc. Once a child is brought into the idea
that aggressive behavior is what gets them to succumb to authority, then theyll start using this
ideology in their own lives growing up. Studies show that domestic violence cases are typically
rooted in the attackers background of child abuse. Whether the spanking was excessive or not,
the attacker is brought up thinking that violence was a way of showcasing their love. These
falsifications can be prevented with other measures taken to convey negative reinforcement.
Countless studies are surfacing, proclaiming that the cons of spanking heavily outweigh
the pros. Physical, negative reinforcement backlashes on many levels, such as creating an
emotional barrier between the child and their parents, creating sneakiness/mischief, and
promoting aggressive behavior in young adolescents. Other measures must be taken to ensure
that children learn what is socially acceptable, and what isnt. Rather than spanking, taking
something away that the children adores (such as a smartphone or tablet) could work

Suarez 2
exponentially. Spanking is just an excuse to use authoritarian power over another individual
where it is not needed.