A Word on Punishment
Consider the punishment contingencies discussed in the previous examples. How might the students perceive these punishments? What impact might these contingencies have on the students’ basic psychological needs and motivation?
Research shows that punishment can lead to fear, reduced interest in and even dislike of school, and increased aggression (Lieberman, 2000, pp. 301-307). Importantly, punishment, especially harsh punishment, does not always lead to a total reduction in the behavior; instead, it often leads to performance of the behavior in secret or to other behaviors that damage the relationship. Logical consequences that teach (i.e., predetermined and explicit rules indicating results related to the specific behavior, which help students develop internal understanding, self-control, and a desire to follow the rules) are different from punishments, which enforce compliance with rules by using authoritarian discipline often involving an element of shame (Responsive Classroom, 2011). Check out the following resource to better understand the differences between punishment and logical consequences.
Self-Reflection: Think about how you feel walking into a meeting with a supervisor or boss when you were harshly (and you believe unfairly) criticized or penalized the last time you met.
Whether the negative side effects of punishment occur may depend on several factors, including the intensity of the punishment and its social context (Lieberman, 2000, p. 307). The social context includes whether the punishment occurs within a relationship characterized predominantly by warmth and extensive use of explicit rationales or criticalness and opaque reasoning. Consider the following hypothetical teacher profiles below.
Teacher A
Warmth: Does not greet students and rarely inquires about their wellbeing.
Choice: Rarely offers students choice in how or when to complete assignments.
Dialogue: Discourages classroom dialogue, delivers extended didactic instruction, and monitors students’ silent, independent work.
Rationales: Demands compliance and rarely states the rationales behind decisions and requests.
Encouragement: Criticizes students’ abilities, effort, or performance. Makes positive attention dependent on compliance.
Teacher B
Warmth: Greets students with a smile and asks how they are feeling.
Choice: Frequently offers students a degree of choice within the parameters of each lesson.
Dialogue: Encourages students to engage in structured academic and social conversations in the classroom.
Rationales: Generally provides explicit rationales for requests and decisions.
Encouragement: Communicates high expectations for students, encourages progress, and praises students’ growth on tasks.
Self-Reflection: Imagine that a student in each of these classroom settings has been given a punishment, like loss of recess or detention, for a serious rule violation. Do you think the student in Classroom A will respond similarly or differently to the same punishment than a student in Classroom B? Why or why not?
It is also important to remember that students with significant past or current life stress may not respond any differently to the conditions in Classroom A than in Classroom B in the short run. A need-supporting teacher will not necessarily see immediate results. However, they are providing students a foundation for building positive self-concept and for trusting others in the future.
