Examining the Impact of Spanking on Child Discipline
School
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology**We aren't endorsed by this school
Course
PHILOSOPHY 1101
Subject
Philosophy
Date
Dec 12, 2024
Pages
5
Uploaded by ProfCoyoteMaster1119
Running head: PHILOSOPHY OUTLINE1Philosophy OutlineName Institutional Affiliation
PHILOSOPHY OUTLINE2Philosophy OutlineI. Introductiona)What claim are you investigating? The claim I will be examining is “Spanking is not the best alternative for disciplining children”. b)What is the counter argument to this claim? There are several counter arguments to be claim that I will be evaluating. Opponents contend that spanking is the best form of correction as it allows kids to know what is acceptable and what is not. Opposers also argue that spanking is a harmless form of punishment which can help bring bad behavior to a stop. These counter points have been found to have a slippery slope. c)Who is making this claim? Individuals supporting the claim I am investigating are lawyers and activists, psychologists, doctors, some parents, and a fraction of teachers. d)What other parties are interested in this claim? Religious leaders, policy makers, and guardians. II. Information a)What types of information has been transmitted about this claim?i.Supporting detail 1: Spanking is limited in terms of its effectiveness since it can only be used in some situations, particularly when children have been involved in willful disobedience as opposed to trivial defiance behaviors. For this reason, most experts are opposed to spanking. In addition, according to bodies such as theAmerican Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), spanking leaves a child worse that they were before.
PHILOSOPHY OUTLINE3ii.Supporting detail 2: Spanking leads to increased aggression as some studies have established so. iii.Supporting detail 3: Another information circulated about the claim of this paper is that spanking causes mental issues, cognitive problems, as well as lower self-esteem. Spanking also leads to a poor relationship between children and their parents or guardians. b)Does the claim conflict with your personal observations and background information? The claim is not different from my observations as well as background information. III.Rhetoric and Fallaciesa)What rhetoric and fallacies are used with respect to this claim?i.Supporting detail 1: If children are not spanked, they will definitely become spoiled and engage in bad behavior (Kish & Newcombe, 2015). ii.Supporting detail 2: That spanking is not harmful. Some individuals who were spanked when they were kids say that they only became better after being spanked. iii.Supporting detail 3: Spanking is more effective compared to other methods of punishment and correction.IV. Researcha)Are there any scientific findings about this claim?i.Supporting detail 1: Spanking is linked to less compliance compared to other methods of disciplining a child (Gershoff & Grogan-Kaylor, 2016). It has been found to have counterproductive effects since it leads to physical pain, confusion,
PHILOSOPHY OUTLINE4and unnecessary fear that may make a child fail to get the message their parent or guardian is trying to communicate. ii.Supporting detail 2: Research conducted by Gershoff and Grogan-Kaylor (2016) revealed that spanking leads to aggressive behavior among children. The study examined about 14 past researches. iii.Supporting detail 3: Other scientific evidence shows that spanking can lead to mental issues, cognitive challenges, and low self-esteem. It has been found to have similar effects as yelling and shaming of children (Straus, Douglas, & Medeiros, 2013).b)What are the best ways to assess the probabilities of this claim?i.Supporting detail 1: Using clinical reports by psychologists, doctors, as well as reports from patients. ii.Supporting detail 2: Statistics from government and non-government agencies. iii.Supporting detail 3: Studies on the effectiveness and efficacy of using the approach of spanking compared to other forms of disciplining children.V. Conclusiona)What are your conclusions about your claim? From the past studies, the claim is logical and valid. Though the topic of spanking has been a controversial one throughout history, the available evidence concerning the harm it can cause is compelling. Most of the counter arguments to the claim are fallacies that have been debunked with time.
PHILOSOPHY OUTLINE5ReferencesGershoff, E. T., & Grogan-Kaylor, A. (2016). Spanking and child outcomes: Old controversies and new meta-analyses. Journal of family psychology, 30(4), 453.Kish, A. M., & Newcombe, P. A. (2015). “Smacking never hurt me!”: Identifying myths surrounding the use of corporal punishment. Personality and Individual Differences, 87, 121-129.Straus, M. A., Douglas, E. M., & Medeiros, R. A. (2013). The primordial violence: Spanking children, psychological development, violence, and crime. Routledge.