i suppose that's where we differ. i was lead to believe that punishment, and not negative reinforcement, was a less-effective form of conditioning. whether it be classical or operant, case studies i've seen have come to the conclusion that negative and positive reinforcements are interchangeable, given that the experiments were slightly altered.
also, i find that generalizing those who choose to physically discipline their children as people who resort to spanking et al. immediately is dangerous. parents do have options before physical discipline, and many do try alternative routes in addition to physical discipline. i grew up with physical discipline, as did nearly everyone i knew in my neighborhood. i guess it's just the difference of environments.
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