Punishment or Reinforcement?

May 12, 2010 · Category: Rants/Opinions · Comments Off

In my philosophy class, we discussed ethics. Mainly, we were debating on how to teach your child what’s right from wrong. Most of the class implied that punishment was the best way. But there was a division among these students on how was the best way to enforce what’s right from wrong through punishment. Some believed through spanking, others believed through sitting them down and talking or through removing an object of pleasure from their grasp (i.e. cell phone, laptop, etc.).

What I noticed though was that parents believe that the best way to teach what’s right from wrong is through punishment and purely punishment. Because of it, they lack in positive reinforcement. And, I believe, that through such reinforcement a child will learn the difference better if praised for the good things he or she does. Because, in my eyes and through studies shown in the field of psychology, punishment is a short-term effect compared to reinforcement. This is because children at any age always needs their parents attention or strive to make them happy. It is natural for them. Even though some of it is unconsciously done, in reality we just have this need to impress people, for attention, or to make the whole world happy.

I seriously think that all parents and future parents should really think hard on how to raise their children, because punishment shouldn’t be the only way to go.