Articles tagged with Punishment
Children's sense of fairness becomes increasingly sophisticated as they get older, and they expect rules to be applied impartially and equally to every group member. A fair punishment brings emotional relief to children, whereas unequal treatment provokes strong resistance and undermines their sense of justice.
A new study finds that dog trainers' methods reflect their ethical stance on animals. Owners with an anthropocentric view are more likely to use punishment-based methods, while those with a focus on animal welfare opt for positive training methods. The study highlights the importance of considering ethics in dog training.
A new study from Arizona State University and the University of Michigan explores the strategic trade-offs individuals make when facing punishment for dissent. The research reveals that self-censorship is a rational response shaped by the interplay of boldness, surveillance, and punishment severity.
Young adults with higher genetic risk for depression show reduced brain activity in response to rewards and punishments, while sex-dependent neural responses were also observed. This study highlights potential early indicators for depression before symptoms fully manifest.
A new study reveals three distinct behavioral types: Sensitives who avoid bad choices, Unawares who don't, and Compulsives who continue making wrong choices despite awareness. Researcher Dr. Philip Jean-Richard-dit-Bressel found that these traits are stable and require intervention to break.
A meta-analysis of 195 studies found physical punishment in low- and middle-income countries leads to poor health, lower academic performance, and impaired social-emotional development. The study suggests that physical punishment is universally harmful to children and adolescents, with no positive outcomes associated.
A recent study published in the Southern Economic Journal found that lengthy prison sentences have a deterrent effect on homicide rates, similar to the death penalty. The research, which examined the Australian legal system and its history with capital punishment, suggests that these types of sentencing can be effective in reducing crime
Researchers investigated how people decide to confront or avoid unfair behavior, revealing that avoidance is driven by both not wanting to witness inequality and a desire to avoid confrontation. Even those who tend to avoid unfairness will hand out punishment if forced to observe such behavior.
A recent study found that Black students are 3.6 times more likely to be suspended out of school than their white peers, with even greater disparities in alternative schools. The researchers also discovered that wealthier schools with fewer free lunch recipients had the most disparate experiences.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a multidisciplinary approach to create supportive learning environments, reducing harm from suspension and expulsion. Research shows that exclusions don't deter misbehavior and instead create significant mental and physical health harms.
A study by Osaka Metropolitan University reveals that fish use physical punishment to promote helping behavior in their offspring, demonstrating advanced social and cognitive abilities. The research highlights the presence of punishment in animal societies, bridging a gap in understanding cooperative behavior and its mechanisms.
A study evaluating contract treatment in Sweden found that this sanction significantly reduces recidivism and substance-related adverse health events compared to community sanctions or prison sentences. Providing treatment yields better results than punishment, addressing the root causes of criminality often linked to substance misuse.
A study by University of Notre Dame's Calvin Zimmermann found that early childhood teachers take an 'authoritarian approach' with Black boys and a more 'permissive approach' with white boys. This leads to heavier punishments, surveillance, and missed learning opportunities for Black students.
A new study from the University of Texas at El Paso found that incarcerated women are disproportionately punished for minor infractions like defiance. Women were 40% more likely to receive defiance infractions and accrue them faster than men.
Researchers found that childhood adversity can reshape an individual's moral development, leading to a 'deformative experience' that pulls them away from their true nature. This asymmetric sensitivity to life history information affects judgments of praise and blame.
Researchers from HSE Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience examine the brain's reaction to social norms violations and calculate a behavioral index to assess an individual's sensitivity to unfairness. This index can be used to develop personalized rehabilitation programs for patients with various types of behavioral disorders.
A new study found that school suspensions increase the likelihood of arrest for Black and Hispanic students, but not White students. Suspension labels can perpetuate stereotypes linked to each racial group, with Blackness associated with criminality and Hispanic people with illegality.
A new study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences documents the dynamic nature of student discipline during an academic year. Schools with high racial disparity see discipline rates for Black students increase faster as the semester continues.
Research shows that SEC challenges can influence how CEOs and CFOs communicate with investors and analysts in private meetings. A study found that the effectiveness of regulatory enforcement depends on perception of the SEC's ability to enforce regulations.
A study of 7,500 Irish children found that harsh discipline increases the risk of developing lasting mental health problems. Children exposed to 'hostile' parenting at age three were 1.5 times likelier to have high-risk mental health symptoms by age nine.
A new consensus statement calls for routine radiological screening of contact children in suspected child physical abuse cases to prevent further harm. Siblings are at risk of experiencing physical abuse, with a strong association between index and contact children.
A new study by University of Georgia researcher Shane Singh found that mandatory voting laws increase voter turnout when enforced, not the severity of the law. Turnout can increase by nearly 20 points with credible sanctions, compared to 8-10 points without them.
A new longitudinal study examines neural-based correlates and risk factors for nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) among adolescents. The study found that greater amygdala reactivity during anticipation of social punishment predicted NSSI engagement one year later, particularly in those with lower peer-nominated social preference.
A new study explores how corporal punishment impacts neural systems, linking it to increased anxiety, depression, and altered brain activity. The research found that adolescents who experienced physical punishments showed a larger neural response to error and a blunted response to reward.
A new study from the University of East Anglia found that employees who perceive managerial controls as restrictive and punitive may develop dysfunctional responses, including workplace deviance and deliberate ignorance. The study suggests that threatening managerial controls have different effects on skilled and non-skilled workers, w...
Study participants recommend longer sentences for rehabilitation or public protection, but shorter sentences if punishment is the primary focus. The findings highlight the importance of considering the underlying motivations behind incarceration in sentencing decisions.
Research found that harsh parenting can lead to increased DNA methylation, predisposing children to depression. The study compared 21 adolescents with good parenting to 23 with harsh parenting and found significant differences in DNA methylation levels.
A new study during the COVID-19 pandemic found associations between intimate partner violence and spanking among caregivers. Caregivers who used multiple discipline strategies had increased odds of using corporal punishment.
Researchers at Nara Institute of Science and Technology developed a new model of obsessive-compulsive disorder based on principles of reinforcement learning. The model suggests that imbalanced learning between reinforcement and punishment can lead to disordered behavior in OCD. This work helps explain how OCD develops and may be used t...
Administering oxytocin to central social network members spreads cooperation via increased punishment of uncooperative behavior, Li et al. found in a new study published in JNeurosci. Cooperation can conflict with individual goals, but oxytocin may have evolved humans' need for group living.
A recent study published in Frontiers in Psychology found that judges give significantly shorter sentences when provided with the full costs and benefits of incarceration. The research team from Georgia State University recruited 87 Minnesota state judges who were given a fictional case summary with additional details on the negative c...
A new study found that naming legislation after a victim increases support for the law and its associated punishment, with notable benefits for laws named after African American women. The study used distracted driving as an example and surveyed a national sample of 1,000 U.S. adults.
A new study found that defense testimony about defendants' adverse childhood experiences can elicit leniency in jurors' sentencing decisions in capital trials. The study suggests that investigating and presenting ACE evidence is critical in eliciting leniency, with sympathy being a key factor in jurors' decisions.
A new analysis suggests that ending automatic early release from prison for terrorists will undermine their rehabilitation and threaten their human rights. The study, published in Legal Studies, argues that the changes, known as TORERA 2020, create a 'cliff-edge' in managing the risks of releasing terrorists.
A new study reveals that corrections staff in Kentucky view incarcerated individuals as 'monsters' or 'evils', dehumanizing them to justify violent behavior. This us-them ideology can lead to abuse and harm, and has implications for prison management and the carceral system.
Researchers suppressed cortical excitability to resolve self-interest vs. prosocial motivations in favor of cooperation, particularly in dictator games. In generosity games, no effect was observed. The study suggests the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex plays a key role in resolving conflicts between self-interest and prosociality.
A new study by Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health found that NYC COVID-19 mandates enforcement mirrored the discretionary nature of the New York stop-and-frisk program, resulting in racialized criminalization and punishment. The use of police to enforce public health mandates increased the risk of COVID spread due to f...
Researchers found that mice have innate circuits for processing positive and negative stimuli in the amygdala brain region. The study suggests that an imbalance in these circuits may contribute to depression and other mental health issues.
A study by the University of Missouri found that people are more likely to praise someone for good deeds if they know the person has also faced suffering earlier in life. This discovery sheds light on how humans process and react to positive behaviors, such as giving praise.
A study examining Pennsylvania death penalty cases found that victim's gender and race affected every outcome. Cases with white female, male or black male victims were more likely to receive a death sentence than those with black female victims. The study also found that prosecutors were more likely to seek the death penalty in cases w...
A new Yale University study reveals that social media platforms like Twitter amplify expressions of moral outrage over time, encouraging users to express more outrage with increased likes and shares. This finding has significant implications for leaders and policymakers who use these platforms.
Researchers found that stronger functional brain connections between the temporoparietal junction and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex are associated with lower levels of punishment for unfair behavior. This suggests that individuals with stronger connectivity in these areas may be less inclined to punish others for selfish actions.
A study of federal sentencing data found that Black and Hispanic offenders were more likely to be eligible for life sentences, but not more likely to receive them. The study analyzed data on over 366,000 non-immigration offenders from 2010 to 2017.
A study found that informal parole status uniquely contributes to the likelihood of receiving a prison sentence, with a large and consistent impact across sentencing guidelines. This cumulative disadvantage disproportionately affects Black defendants, exacerbating the Black-White gap in prison sentences.
In a new study, researchers found that punishments, like dropping non-pollinated flowers, enforce cooperation between fig trees and wasps. Contrary to previous findings, some fig species do not eliminate non-pollinating wasps by aborting their own fruit.
A conclusive narrative review found physical punishment of children is not effective in preventing child behavior problems, but instead predicts increases in behavior problems over time. The study's authors recommend countries end the use of all types of physical punishment on children to protect their development and well-being.
A new study by Harvard researchers found that spanking can alter a child's neural responses to their environment, similar to experiencing more severe forms of violence. The study, published in the journal Child Development, analyzed brain activity in children who were spanked and compared it to those who were not.
A recent study found that partisan politics, religious fundamentalism, and economic threat affect local decisions about the death penalty. The study also discovered that the size of African American populations was not directly associated with the decline in death penalty use since the 1990s.
A new study by Columbia University researchers found that children but not adults report 'mean' individuals becoming nicer after severe punishment. Adults, however, believe that 'nice' individuals become less nice following incarceration. The study suggests that with age, people in the US become increasingly pessimistic about punishmen...
A study led by the University of Washington found that women perceived as 'prototypical' are more likely to be believed when making accusations of sexual harassment. Non-prototypical women face greater hurdles and are seen as less credible, less harmed, and their harassers deserve less punishment.
A Rutgers University study finds states use unfair 'pay-to-stay' fees to recoup incarceration costs, often through civil lawsuits and wage garnishment. The practice disproportionately affects low-income individuals and can lead to significant financial burdens upon release.
The Dome of the Rock's marble slabs depict two birds, which break the symmetry of the southern wall and have remained unchanged for over 350 years. Sufi traditions and stories about Solomon and the birds demonstrate their influence on the shrine's conception.
A new study from New York City finds that behavioral interventions, or "nudges," can reduce failures to appear (FTAs) in court for low-level offenses. Simplifying court summons forms and text message reminders improved attendance by 13% and 25%, respectively, leading to 30,000 fewer arrest warrants over a three-year period.
A Baylor University study led by Cathryn Townsend challenges the long-held notion that the Ik ethnic group in Uganda is selfish and loveless. The research found that sharing and cooperation are integral to Ik culture, with a strong emphasis on supernatural punishment for those who do not share.
Researchers introduced a new system to improve cooperation among goods and service providers in rural villages, by assigning reputation scores and rewarding responsible welfare usage. The study's findings suggest that the payoff transfer mechanism can optimize public cooperation without significant costs.
Researchers found that winning back lost customers can lead to increased profits, but requires a failure-tolerant organizational culture that encourages open discussion and accountability. Successful reacquisition management also involves establishing guidelines for employees to follow when addressing customer defections.
Research from the University of Notre Dame suggests that investors react more severely to corporate social irresponsibility (CSI) when top management executives have a higher proportion of law degrees. Firms with an average proportion of law-trained executives among their leadership teams tend to receive less punishment, while those wi...
Researchers found that modern people's judgments of crime severity align with ancient laws, indicating a universal capacity for making justice intuitions. The study provides evidence for the shared sense of justice that underlies legal codes, shedding light on the origins of laws.
A study published by Ohio State University found that people enjoy seeing bad guys get punished more than being forgiven, but appreciate forgiveness stories as the most meaningful. The researchers discovered that readers take less time to respond to narratives with equitable retribution than those with under- or over-retribution.
A meta-analysis of 17 studies reveals the brain regions activated during social punishment tasks, including the claustrum, superior frontal gyri, and interior frontal gyrus. These areas are responsible for attention, error detection, and processing contextual information, essential components for punishment decision-making.