Parents often defend their use of physical punishment by pointing to the norms of their cultural group. Dr. Gershoff will discuss some of the cultural norms regarding physical punishment and what research and science can tell us about each. She will also describe evidence of cultural shifts away from physical punishment in some communities and highlight what these shifts tell us about ways to affect larger community-level change.
Dr. Elizabeth Gershoff is a Professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Sciences and Associate Director of the Population Research Center at the University of Texas at Austin. She is an internationally recognized expert on the effects of physical punishment on children and the 2019 recipient of the Nicholas Hobbs Award recognizing her work advocating on behalf of children.