To say one will have to use punishment to change undesired behavior says something about human nature. Nasty bosses and individuals who make Fortune Magazine's toughest boss list use this as a primarily influence technique. -- Murray Johannsen
It can be argued that it is part of human nature, though not always displayed, to want to dominate and control others. Part of this desire includes wanting to change the behavior of others so as to fall in line with what the majority consider to be acceptable. Yet this approach does not take into consideration the rights of the individual who it is believed needs to be changed. Instead it is focused only on the belief systems of those in control, and these belief systems can at times be warped, losing sight of right and wrong. In general, individuals who believe they know best as far as how others should behave, often use one primary method to change what they consider to be unacceptable behavior; Punishment. However, in recent years, many psychologists and other social scientists have put forth concerns related to how and why punishment is used, outcomes unrelated to the desire to decrease problematic behaviors, and ethical dilemmas related to the rights of the individual being punished.
The Definition of Punishment
Based on the model of Behavior Modification, punishment is defined as following the occurrence of an undesirable behavior by a consequence that makes the behavior unlikely to occur in the future. These consequences can be anything that will cause the individual to refrain from committing the unwanted behavior including physical pain (e.g. electric shock), withdrawal of attention or ignoring, loss of tangible objects or activities and removal of privileges, among others. People who rely on punishment to control others have been remarkably creative in the techniques they have developed.
The Ethical Question Regarding How Punishment Effects Change
The main problem with punishment is that it is intended to cause fear in individuals such that they will refrain from repeating the unwanted behavior in the future. Besides the fact that the effects of punishment have been shown to be temporary, demonstrating that it is not a particularly successful method of behavior change, it is the reliance on fear that most oppose as ethically unacceptable. Such individuals believe the use of fear as a means of modifying behavior is more similar to coercion than techniques intended for the benefit of the individual in question, which advocates of punishment lump themselves in with.
Adverse Effects of Punishment
One of the primary tenants of a democratic society is that individuals desire and deserve equality and respect. The manner in which punishment is frequently utilized does not fulfill this principle yet it continues to be used despite the demonstrated lack of long term efficacy. Moreover, often the use of punishment, especially when used improperly or for the wrong reasons, results in negative and even more problematic behavior including rebellion, resentment, passive aggressive behavior, aggression or violence, escape or avoidance behaviors, or emotional harm. It is also sometimes the case that the use of punishment may be reinforcing for the person using it (e.g. retribution for frequent annoying behavior) and thus they may overuse it.
The Moral Debate Over Punishment: Individual Rights
The biggest problem with using punishment to alter behavior is that this approach is based on the idea that one person can change another person and has the right to do so, ignoring an individual’s right to make decisions regarding their own well being. In some cases such as those involving individuals who lack the ability to understand the need to alter their behavior especially if the behavior is dangerous or harmful punishment may be warranted. Yet it is important to consider whether the behavior had a purpose behind it and if so to find a way to replace the purpose it served in an adaptive manner. Otherwise, it is likely the original problem behavior will re-emerge in a different form.
In summary, it is always better to use positive techniques whenever possible as they are more ethical since they’re experienced as encouraging by the individual and tend to result in longer lasting change. While it may be possible to force someone to temporarily act differently through the use of punishment, most behavioral psychologists believe permanent change results only from personal motivation (Marshall, 1998).
Sources
- Johannsen, M., (2011). How to Influence People: Understanding The Nine Spheres of Power, Legacy Online.
- Marshall, M. (May 1998). Empower--Rather Than Overpower [Electronic Version]. Teacher Magazine, 17(37), 32-36.
Join the Conversation