PSYC 370 Video Lecture - Problems With Punishment

Summary

In this lecture, the instructor explores the potential side effects of using punishment to modify behavior. While punishment can be effective in decreasing undesirable behaviors, it can also cause harmful consequences such as conditioned fear, general behavior suppression, avoidance of punishment, aggression, and even abusive behavior. The lecture emphasizes how punishment, particularly physical forms, can damage relationships, encourage negative behaviors like cheating, and escalate into abuse. The instructor highlights these serious issues and teases the exploration of alternative methods to modify behavior in the next lecture.

Takeaways

• 😀 Punishment can be effective in decreasing undesired behaviors, but it often comes with significant negative side effects.
• 😀 Conditioned fear can result from punishment, leading individuals to fear the person administering the punishment or the environment in which it occurs.
• 😀 Physical punishments like spanking can lead children to fear their parents, damaging the parent-child relationship.
• 😀 Punishment can sometimes result in a general suppression of behavior, where the individual stops engaging in all behaviors to avoid the punisher.
• 😀 If punishment is not paired with reinforcement of alternative behaviors, it may lead individuals to avoid specific activities or interactions altogether.
• 😀 Punishment can teach individuals how to avoid punishment rather than change their behavior, especially if they learn to discriminate when punishment is or isn't likely.
• 😀 For example, a student who is punished for cheating may learn to cheat only when the teacher is not around, not because they learned that cheating is wrong.
• 😀 Aggression can be a side effect of punishment, as pain or frustration often results in violent behavior.
• 😀 Displaced aggression is common, where the individual redirects aggression toward an unrelated target, such as a child beating up a sibling after being punished.
• 😀 Observational learning of aggression can occur, where individuals who have been punished (especially physically) might learn to replicate violent behavior.
• 😀 Physical punishment, when taken too far, can escalate into abuse, as seen in the example of Adrian Peterson, whose form of punishment resulted in injury and public backlash.

Q & A

What is one of the key problems with the use of punishment in behavior modification?

A key problem with punishment is that it can result in conditioned fear, either towards the person administering the punishment or the environment where it occurs. This is a result of classical conditioning, where the punisher becomes associated with fear.

How can punishment lead to fear in a child, according to the video?

Punishment, such as spanking, can lead to a child fearing the parent because the child begins to associate the parent with the painful experience of being punished. Over time, the parent or the environment where punishment occurs can become a conditioned stimulus that elicits fear.

Why might the use of punishment in schools backfire?

Punishment in schools may backfire if it leads to students avoiding the school environment entirely due to fear of punishment. This could result in a student dropping out of school, which defeats the purpose of using punishment to improve their behavior or academic performance.

What is meant by 'generalized suppression of behavior' when using punishment?

Generalized suppression of behavior refers to the unintended consequence where a person or animal not only stops the target behavior but may also reduce other behaviors as a way to avoid punishment. For instance, a child punished for rough play might stop playing altogether, even though the goal was to encourage gentler play.

How can punishment unintentionally teach a person to avoid it rather than stop the target behavior?

Punishment can teach a person to discriminate between situations where the behavior is likely to be punished and those where it is not. For example, a student might learn to cheat on tests when the teacher isn't watching, thus avoiding punishment without actually stopping the undesirable behavior.

What are the potential consequences of punishment leading to aggression?

Punishment, especially physical forms, can lead to aggressive behavior due to pain and frustration. Aggression can also be displaced, meaning it is directed at someone or something unrelated to the original cause of frustration or pain.

Can punishment contribute to aggressive behavior in children? How?

Yes, punishment can contribute to aggression in children. After experiencing physical punishment, such as a spanking, children might imitate that behavior in their own interactions with others or learn that aggression is an effective way to deal with problems.

How does the concept of displaced aggression work in the context of punishment?

Displaced aggression occurs when an individual redirects their aggressive behavior toward someone or something unrelated to the source of their frustration or pain. For instance, a child punished by their parents might take out their anger by bullying a sibling who had no part in the punishment.

What is one example provided in the transcript of punishment leading to physical abuse?

The transcript provides an example of Adrian Peterson, a professional football player, who physically punished his son by striking him with a tree branch. This act resulted in serious physical injuries to the child and was deemed abusive, even though Peterson claimed it was intended as discipline.

What is the difference between discipline and abuse when it comes to punishment?

The distinction between discipline and abuse is subjective and can be difficult to define. Discipline aims to modify behavior in a constructive way, while abuse is an extreme form of punishment that causes harm. In the case of Adrian Peterson, the line between discipline and abuse was blurred, leading to public backlash.