Skip to main content icon/video/no-internet
icon backReturn to Entries

Punishment

Punishment is a consequence that decreases the frequency of a given behavior. Understanding of punishment is important for effective classroom management and promoting student motivation. This entry discusses types of punishment, the use of punishment in schools, research on the efficacy of punishment for changing behavior, and strategies for the effective use of punishment.

Researchers in the behaviorist tradition classify punishments as either positive or negative. In positive punishment, a stimulus is added; in negative punishment, a stimulus is removed. Spankings, lectures, or failing grades are examples of positive punishment because a stimulus is being added. Monetary fines and removal of privileges (e.g., no television for a week) are examples of negative punishment because a stimulus is being removed as a consequence of behavior.

Common punishment strategies used in schools are verbal reprimands, time-outs, removal of privileges (such as recess time), suspension, and expulsion. Some schools allow teachers or administrators to use physical punishment (spanking or paddling) with students.

Typically, punishments are intended to be unpleasant or aversive. However, in certain cases, a stimulus that is intended to be pleasant and reinforcing in fact acts as a punishment. For example, a teacher may publicly praise a student’s performance on an academic task intending to reinforce the students’ academic achievement, but the students may find this praise embarrassing and thus reduce their effort on academic tasks in order to avoid such embarrassment in the future.

Research on the Efficacy of Punishment

Some researchers argue that punishment is largely ineffective at changing behavior and that behavior management strategies should instead focus on reinforcing desired behaviors. Other researchers argue that punishment can be an important behavior management strategy and that combining punishment with reasoning and reinforcement is more effective than using reasoning and reinforcement alone.

Research indicates that generally effective forms of punishment are verbal reprimands, restitution (in which the student must return the environment to the state it was in before the misbehavior; for example, cleaning up a mess one has made), time-outs, and response costs (such as loss of privileges). Ineffective forms of punishment are physical punishment, psychological punishment (making embarrassing or humiliating statements directed at the student), assigning extra classwork, withholding recess, and suspension from school.

Using Punishment Effectively

Research indicates a variety of factors and strategies for effective use of punishment. Using punishment as a component of classroom management works best when rules and consequences are clear and consistent and when the overall classroom environment is warm and supportive.

Clear Rules and Consequences

Rules are most effective when desired and undesired behaviors are described in clear, concrete language. Teachers often create rules that are too vague, such as “be respectful.” If respectful and disrespectful behaviors are clearly described, students will have an easier time understanding and complying with the rule. Punishment is also most effective when combined with reasoning about why rules exist (including discussion of the consequences of breaking rules for self and others).

Genuine Punishments

Many punishments are ineffective because they are not actually punishing for students. For example, if a student does not like school, being suspended is unlikely to be an effective punishment.

...

  • Loading...
locked icon

Sign in to access this content

Get a 30 day FREE TRIAL

  • Watch videos from a variety of sources bringing classroom topics to life
  • Read modern, diverse business cases
  • Explore hundreds of books and reference titles

Read next

More like this

Sage Recommends

We found other relevant content for you on other Sage platforms.

close

Have you created a personal profile? Login or create a profile so that you can save clips, playlists and searches

close
close
close Signed In to profile You are signed in as:
close
Logged in Institution Institution