Straight out of the words of a psychology textbook:
Physical force should be used on a child if the behavior in question could be LIFE THREATENING.
If you are teaching a child not to cross the street without looking, you'd better slap the kid across the head. Reason? It's behavior that you want to display once and ONLY once.
As for whether or not spanking as a form of punishment is okay or not... studies are relatively inconclusive. Here in the South, it is deemed more okay than it is in other parts of the US. I'll say this, if I find out my child was shoplifting, or etc etc... you bet your sweet aunt betty that kid'll get a slap upside his head.
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