Punishment revisited-Science, values and the right question

In this comment on E. T. Gershoff (2002), the author notes the historical phases of punishment research. Punishment as a disciplinary tactic is best viewed as a packaged variable and therefore needs to be investigated in the context of other socialization practices. The role of parental values in this debate about punishment utilization and effectiveness merits more consideration. New directions in punishment research are also noted. These include the need for a family-systems perspective, a family-typology approach, a transactional model of punishment, the use of innovation observation and self-report methods, and more culturally sensitive paradigms. Just as Rip Van Winkle in Washington Irving’s classic tale found that the world had changed after his 20-year nap, so I have found after a nearly 20-year break from my active study of pun-ishment that society’s as well as psychologists ’ understanding of the issue has changed. As a long-time student of this issue, I welcome this opportunity to reflect on the progress that has been made and on the progress that has not been made. As this new synthesis (Gershoff, 2002), clearly has documented