Photo: Frinkiac
These days, people want instant results in everything they do. We’ll put ourselves in mortal danger if it gets us to the finish line faster, or even flush garbage down the toilet to save ourselves the (minimal) effort it takes to throw it away properly. In other words, we’re idiots. And idiots beget bigger idiots when we go through life this way.
It would make sense, then, that spanking is still something that roughly 81 percent of parents in the United States find to be a suitable solution in certain circumstances, according to the Brookings Institution. After all, it will stop your child from doing whatever is annoying you at that very moment. But whether or not you choose to spank and your reasoning for doing so, it might not hurt to take a look at some of the long-term ramifications such actions have on kids, especially those whose cognitive functions are still in development.
Studies Show Spanking Kids Detrimental To Cognitive Development
According to nearly 30 studies from across several countries and collected by Richard Reeves and Emily Cuddy at Brookings, regular spankings result in children who are more aggressive and depressed, yet less likely to be able to process knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses. The latter bit of information comes courtesy of a study taken from 20 American cities by the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2013.
To elaborate, the aggressive tendencies caused by spanking stem from children associating the act with power or getting what they want immediately. While this might be a stretch in common cases considering many studies focus on regular to severe physical punishment in terms of associations with child behavior, it still makes sense at its core. When a child sees someone get struck and immediately stop what they are doing, they mimic it in the hopes of getting the same result. How’s that for cognition?
When all’s said and done, however, people will likely continue to discipline their children the way they want to with blatant disregard for research. Statistically speaking, Republicans spank more than Democrats; southerners more than north-easterners; and Christians more than non-Christians. Heck, tradition probably plays as big of a factor in whether or not you spank as the need for instant gratification. Whatever the logic, we’re not here to play sides. We’re simply stating evidence and letting you decide from there whether the quick and simple solution is always the one for you, or whether it’s time to rethink your behavior with the future in mind.
Louis C.K., on the other hand, is here to judge you.
