Spanking lowers IQ

[Boozy]

This is why I posted the article. Cause I think people must be lacking in intelligence somewhere, if they fail to understand that hurting a child is unexcusable.

MOD NOTE:

This topic is a tricky one. One needs to be careful not to insult the intelligence of members who disagree with them, while still being able to debate their points.

To clarify: Discussing the link (or lack thereof) between intelligence and childhood corporal punishment in general terms, within the context of the article presented in the OP is fair game.

Discussing the link between spanking and the intelligence of members posting on this forum is out of bounds.

This means that people who believe that spanking lowers intelligence cannot imply that people arguing against them are not bright. Conversely, it might be helpful if those who disagree with the article stopped offering up their own intelligence as evidence against the results of this study. If we don't want this to get personal, it has to go both ways.

Play ball, and watch the fouls.

[guywithashovel]

One major thing to look out for when interpreting results of studies is the correlation vs causation thing. When I took Research Methods in college, this was one of the things that my professor kept repeating over and over again in class. Basically, what this means is that just because two things occur simultaneously doesn't mean that one thing caused the other thing to happen.

For example, if you find an aggressive person who was spanked as a child, you shouldn't jump to the conclusion that the spanking caused the person to be aggressive. I was spanked as a child (not very often), and most people would scoff at you if you called me aggressive in any way.

One day in my Research Methods class, my professor told us about a study that found that the number of rapes tends to go up when sno-cone sales rise. However, when the situation was examined more closely, they realized that sno-cone sales go up in the summer, which is when more people leave their windows and doors open and men can sustain erections longer.

Now, I don't have this study handy and to be honest, I don't feel like looking for it. But I think it illustrates my point well.

[MergedLoki]

There's a large gaping chasm between 'spanking' and 'abuse' (and yea penderson basically pointed out how questiionable parts of this 'study' are so im just giving my 2 cents.)

I was spanked as a kid... hmm I think not even 10 times. (and it was probably closer to 5 or 6 times).

and i didn't turn out to be a teenage drug addict, or a runaway, or suffering years of therapy because i got my ass swatted a few times by a hand.

Sorry parents. 'time outs' dont work with every damn kid.

there's a reason i dont like kids. parents (in general) today SUCK at being parents.

You can't always REASON with a toddler sometimes the reason 'because i'm YOUR parent' IS a good enough reason for them.

blah im going off on a rant and i'm gonna stop now.

long and short of it. spanking is not the end of the world and it's not gonna turn your kid into some social misfit.

[blas87]

I think it's another old wive's tale.

Supposedly, babies who weren't breast fed grow up to be dumb.

Now kids that were spanked are stupid.

Wow.....I'm really SOL here.

[suchislife2]

so can I now blame my "stupidity" on being spanked?

[Savannah]

so can I now blame my "stupidity" on being spanked?

No, it is only correlated, not caused.

[Lace Neil Singer]

I think it's another old wive's tale.

Supposedly, babies who weren't breast fed grow up to be dumb.

Over here, they say that bottle fed babies catch infections. Strange; that would explain why as a baby, neither myself or my three bottle fed brothers caught any bad infections... but a friend of my mother's was always worrying about her son cuz he kept getting ear infections... and was breast fed. It's just a means of making women who physically can't breast feed feel upset and bad about themselves.

As far as spanking goes, I think as I stated before, that the problem is with the researchers who fail to notice the difference between a light swat on the butt and a full scale beating. Also, here's something from the other side, to balance things out:

Children don't learn violence, they unlearn it.

[Ree]

Over here, they say that bottle fed babies catch infections. Strange; that would explain why as a baby, neither myself or my three bottle fed brothers caught any bad infections... but a friend of my mother's was always worrying about her son cuz he kept getting ear infections... and was breast fed.

Actually, that's very unusual.
Bottle fed babies do get more ear infections. It's because of the different sucking motions and different muscles a breast fed baby uses compared to bottle fed. The babies who breast feed use muscles that help keep the eustachian tube clear.

Sometimes, there really is science to back up a theory.

But this thread isn't about bottle feeding vs. breast feeding, so...back on topic...

[unholypet]

Random in and out again post.

I was spanked as a child, just enough to burn and I wasn't a huge problem kid. I only got popped twice hard enough I couldn't sit down.

Am I stupid? No, I graduated top of my class every year.

Do I lack common sense? No, I am no educated idiot.

Do I think more kids were spanked than not? Yes.

Does it seem like people are idiots, spanked or no? Yes XD

[Savannah]

Also, here's something from the other side, to balance things out:

Children don't learn violence, they unlearn it.

Um...That looks like one person's opinion (and not any kind of psychologist), not a study. Am I missing something? At least the study in the OP is an actual study, although probably mis-represented.

[Lace Neil Singer]

It might be a study, but a study can be skewed by one person's opinion; in this case, anti-spanking. In any case, the blog is correct; you only have to watch small children at play to realise that they already are violent; they don't need to be taught it by being spanked, just untaught it. No-one is advocating beating children, any more than the other side advocates no disclipine.

I didn't have time to dig up a study on the matter, as I had to go to catsit, but I'm sure such a study exists online. I could only find evidence in books, and they can't really be transfered into the internet, sadly.

[BroomJockey]

MOD NOTE:
Conversely, it might be helpful if those who disagree with the article stopped offering up their own intelligence as evidence against the results of this study.

Reiterating this point, since it seems to have been summarily ignored.

[Lace Neil Singer]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/ed...en-394842.html

http://www.drkutner.com/parenting/ar...ggressive.html

Here be scientific studies.

[Savannah]

Here be response.

(Didn't know quite which thread to put it in, sorry. )