Medieval origins of debate on classroom beatings
Research by University of Leicester medieval expert Dr Ben Parsons reveals the historical discussions surrounding corporal punishment – which are echoed in debates today.
View ArticleGame theory used to explain evolution of 'third party punishment'
You're shopping for holiday gifts when you spot someone pocketing a nice pair of leather gloves. What do you do?
View ArticleUp in arms
In December 2012, when Adam Lanza stormed into the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., with a rifle and killed 20 children and six adult staff members, the United States found itself...
View ArticleVictims want to change, not just punish, offenders
Revenge is a dish best served with a side of change. A series of experiments conducted by researchers affiliated with Princeton University has found that punishment is only satisfying to victims if the...
View ArticleLethal injection comes under new scrutiny after botched execution
The botched execution in April of a man convicted of murder brought to the fore of national consciousness the precarious state of capital punishment. An article in Chemical & Engineering News...
View ArticlePunishment plays important role in forgiveness
(Phys.org) —It's easier for people to forgive someone for doing wrong against them if some form of punishment is involved, according to psychology researchers at the University of Adelaide.
View ArticleFamily members of victims pose a growing challenge for capital punishment
An examination of the nation's history in carrying out executions is encountering a new challenge for modern-day capital punishment.
View ArticleYes, physically disciplining kids is an act of violence
Children endure many forms of violence, from slapping and pushing, to fatal assaults; almost one in five of the world's homicide victims in 2012 were under 20.
View ArticleCompensation and punishment: 'Justice' depends on whether or not we're a victim
We're more likely to punish wrongdoing as a third party to a non-violent offense than when we're victimized by it, according to a new study by New York University psychology researchers. The findings,...
View ArticleHow do we punish norm violators?
An international team of researchers including Loukas Balafoutas (University of Innsbruck), Nikos Nikiforakis (NYU Abu Dhabi) and Bettina Rockenbach (University of Cologne) has conducted pioneering...
View ArticleCarrot or stick? Game-theory can optimize collaboration
What motivates people to cooperate in collaborative endeavors? "First carrot, then stick". Tatsuya Sasaki, mathematician from the University of Vienna, has put forth for the first time ever a...
View ArticleResearchers call for immediate end to corporal punishment in Florida schools
A team of University of Florida researchers is calling for an immediate end to paddling students in all state public schools, citing its new study of classroom disciplinary trends that depicts corporal...
View ArticleResearch shows belief in supernatural punishment, rather than 'big gods' of...
(Phys.org)—A team of researchers with ties to several different institutions in Australia has published a paper in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B refuting claims made by other...
View ArticleThe problem with solitary confinement
It's a practice that has been in the news since the Ashley Smith case first made headlines and, last week, the Ontario government announced it had launched a review of its solitary confinement policies.
View ArticleOpinion: It's important to understand why some people support capital punishment
After eight years on death row, Yakub Memon, who was convicted in 2007 for his role in financing the deadly 1993 Mumbai bombings in which 257 people died, was hanged at a prison in Nagpur, India.
View Article'Targeted punishments' against countries could tackle climate change
Targeted punishments could provide a path to international climate change cooperation, new research in game theory has found.
View ArticleStudy finds racial disparities in school discipline
Through a recent study, a University of Kentucky doctoral student found racial disparities in disciplinary policies in American middle and high schools.
View ArticleEvolution of moral outrage: I'll punish your bad behavior to make me look good
What makes human morality unique? One important answer is that we care when other people are harmed. While many animals retaliate when directly mistreated, humans also get outraged at transgressions...
View ArticleMy brain made me do it: will neuroscience change the way we punish criminals?
Australian law may be on the cusp of a brain-based revolution that will reshape the way we deal with criminals.
View ArticlePoll finds support for retaining death penalty
California voters oppose an effort to abolish the death penalty and strongly support a competing measure that would streamline procedures in capital cases, according to a new poll released today by the...
View ArticleSchools use corporal punishment more on children who are black or have...
In parts of the 19 states where the practice is still legal, corporal punishment in schools is used as much as 50 percent more frequently on children who are African American or who have disabilities,...
View ArticleCorporal punishment is still legal in US public schools in 19 states
More than 160,000 children were disciplined using corporal punishment in public schools in the United States in the 2013-2014 school year, according to data recently released by the U.S. Department of...
View ArticleCorporal punishment viewed as more acceptable and effective when referred to...
Parents and nonparents alike feel better about corporal punishment when it's called 'spanking' rather than 'hitting' or 'beating,' according to a new study by researchers at Southern Methodist...
View ArticleStudy examines death penalty support in Mexico
In sharp contrast to previous studies of public support for the death penalty conducted in the U.S., Catholics in Mexico were found to be more likely to support capital punishment, while older Mexicans...
View ArticleResearchers study factors predicting school corporal punishment
The number of Southern natives and the average education level in a county are the most influential factors on the odds of a U.S. public school using corporal punishment, according to new Penn State...
View ArticleHow prisoners dressed for executions says a lot about condemned and pageantry...
What would you wear to your own execution?
View ArticleResearchers find school board diversity reduces school suspensions
A new study from criminology researchers at Florida State University reveals that a more diverse school board can lead to more equitable school punishment among black, white and Hispanic students.
View ArticleCriminal offenders with genetic mental disorders judged more negatively
Popular literature, crime dramas and recent trials dominating the media imply that defense attorneys who portray their clients as victims may have better outcomes. The belief is that jurors assign less...
View ArticleWhy is it nice to be nice? Solving Darwin's puzzle of kindness
World Kindness Day is a global 24-hour celebration dedicated to paying-it-forward and focusing on the good. We are encouraged to perform acts of kindness such as giving blood, cleaning a communal...
View ArticleIs punishment as effective as we think?
A game to study human behavior has shown punishment is an ineffective means for promoting cooperation among players. The result has implications for understanding how cooperation has evolved to have a...
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