________________
Scientific Study of Non-Violence
109
an evaluation of the relative effectiveness of parental discipline.
When the parent loses control and becomes angry, the anger intensifies the punishing behaviour, making it more severe and more physical. The punishment then becomes a strong attack, inciting the child to further aggression. Loss of control by the parent is perhaps a more crucial variable than severity of punishment. The parent is not only a source of differential reinforcement for the child but also a model whose behaviour is closely imitated. When the parent loses control, the effect of punishing aggression is counteracted by the presentation to the child of angry, aggressive behaviour to be copied. Hence, so far as possible punishment must be administered in a detached manner. Particularly with physical punishment, it is important for the parent to provide a ritualistic adult quality to the act (such as in spanking) so that the child can differentiate between such disciplinary aggression and aggression that the child might copy.
It is occasionally observed that while mothers tolerate very little aggression directed against themselves they are more permissive of attacks against the child's playmates or even encourage aggression against children in the neighbourhood, believing that a child must learn to take care of himself." The child learns that it is dangerous to attack authority figures, and his aggression becomes limited to those weaker than himself.
As at home, the atmosphere that surrounds the child at school is exceedingly important. If discrimination, authoritarianism and hierarchy dominate the system, the child cannot help but learn that power and status are the dominant factors in human relationships.
We can conclude the subject of aggression and punishment by saying that aggressive actions are inhibited when the individual anticipates punishment for such behaviour and/or believes that these hostile acts will violate the standards of conduct he wants to uphold. The strength of the inhibitions against aggression is a direct function of the amount of punishment anticipated for aggressive behaviour so that with instigation to aggression held constant, overtly hostile behaviour is less likely, the stronger the expected punishment and the more probable the occurrence of this punishment.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
