On Wed, 13 Oct 1999, Deb Briihl wrote:
> But did you read the rest of my comment? As I stated, that study used
> African American students and an African American teacher, who received
> more respect and better discipline in the classroom when the teacher began
> to reinforce appropriate behaviors rather than discipline inappropriate
> behaviors.
>
> The question to me isn't so much as to whether it works, but rather, is it
> the best choice for teaching/establishing respect? Two other points to tie
> into this one: (1) Why is it OK for a parent to spank a child, but no one
> else? How do those people establish respect? (2) Are you suggesting that
> somehow non-eurocentric groups respond better to physical punishment than
> eurocentric groups in America? Whew! Now THAT opens up a can of worms!
> Just because it is an established part of a culture doesn't make it the
> best option. There are loads of examples of cultural practices that most of
> us would not consider appropriate or that research does not support. Unless
> that difference is somehow biological (which, in this case, it is not),
> then that means it is learned, and therefore one should take a
> behavioristic approach.
>
In some cultures,teachers have the power to impose corporal punishment
on students. And if the parents find out about it,they the parents will
give that child a second spanking.As a matter of fact,any adult may hit a
child in some cultures.In some cultures,it is the uncle who disciplines.
So parents may tell the kids to "just wait till your uncle comes".
Try going to Saudi Arabia and tell them that there is something wrong
with certain aspects of their culture.
It is true that cultural socialization is learned,but keep in mind that
one reason it is cultural is that people hardly think about it
and that it continues to exist even when some of the culural members die.
As the Cross-cultural dude on the list,I can get off more heavily on this,
but I do not want to impose further cognitive dissonance.
Michael Sylvester
Daytona Beach,Florida
