Open AccessReligious Preference and Spanking Beliefs: Implications for School Corporal Punishment Policies
Author(s) -
Lauren A. Menard
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
iars international research journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2202-2821
pISSN - 1839-6518
DOI - 10.51611/iars.irj.v3i1.2013.25
Subject(s) - spanking , corporal punishment , psychology , social psychology , child discipline , punishment (psychology) , preference , judaism , poison control , sociology , theology , suicide prevention , philosophy , medicine , statistics , mathematics , environmental health
AMERICAN spanking beliefs were investigated by religious preference. Proportions agreeing with spanking were largest for Protestant (81%), followed by Catholic (69%). The association between Protestant and agreement with spanking (b=.718) was surprisingly strong considering associations with Catholic, Jewish, None, and Other were all inverse. The smaller Jewish proportion agreeing with spanking (51%) and the very strong inverse relationship between Jewish and agreement with spanking (b= -1.072) were unexpected. A separate analysis found large Christian (81%) and small Moslem (51%) proportions agreeing with spanking. Corporal punishment policies reflect American collective conscience on spanking. Deeper understandings of relationships between religious preference and spanking beliefs help stakeholders become aware of cultural undercurrents affecting school environments.