# data gathering survey regarding spanking **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 11, 2013, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/data-gathering-survey-regarding-spanking/652656 "2013-03-11T21:13:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sidhechaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sidhechaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sidhechaos)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2013, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/data-gathering-survey-regarding-spanking/652656/1 "2013-03-11T21:13:49Z")
there is a lot of back and forth about data and statistics vs anecdotal data in this thread > **[To Spank or Not To Spank...](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=684686)** > > Reports and psychological studies are coming out now saying that spanking ultimately does more damage than good when used as a tool for discipline. I don’t know if I believe that. I, like most of my peers, was spanked as a child, and I had a... Having worked in the industry I know how statistics can be manipulated for desired effects, and therefor that the stats that are given from an anti spanking league were geared to get specific responses supporting their stance and in the same manner questions for pro spanking groups were stated in ways to get responses to support that data. So I trust anecdotal over statistics from some source with an agenda any day… So, really basic survey. were you physically disciplined, i.e. swatted on the bottom with a hand, or swatted with a hairbrush, spoon, flyswatter, and/or other nearby handy lightweight item that would not have caused bruising or significant pain? Were you physically disciplined by a swat on the backs of your hands? were you slapped in the face? were you hit with heavier objects in way that caused physical harm? Do you fear your parents in the sense of critical concern for your well being? Did you fear your parents in the sense of “I don’t want to get caught/punished because then it ruins my fun”? Do you feel the type of punishment you received caused you permanent psychological issues that make you inable to function correctly in society? Do you feel that the punishments you received helped to teach you how to behave appropriately? Do you believe that some other measure would have worked better? ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2013, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/data-gathering-survey-regarding-spanking/652656/2 "2013-03-11T21:48:18Z")
I’m not following/understanding the question. Violence upon a child will teach that child how not to get hit again.(For that specific reason, anyway. Who knows how many other lessons are yet to be “learned”.) It dosen’t teach child anything else. ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2013, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/data-gathering-survey-regarding-spanking/652656/3 "2013-03-11T22:03:32Z")
I think you’d get a lot more responses if your post was an actual poll, and readers could just check a box. Personally, I didn’t even read through all the options in your post, because I didn’t want to bother typing a response. (However, I did end up typing this response, so go figure.) ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2013, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/data-gathering-survey-regarding-spanking/652656/4 "2013-03-11T22:25:11Z")
Anecdotal evidence: my pa beat the shit out of me! He stood me up and hit me like a man. Not good. It took a long time for me to forgive him for that… ---
**Author:** ![huck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@huck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/huck)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2013, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/data-gathering-survey-regarding-spanking/652656/5 "2013-03-11T22:35:05Z")
What industry did you work in that led you to mistrust spanking statistics? Even if you had set up an actual poll, I don’t see how answers to your questions by members of the board would make up for the deficiency of data mentioned in the thread you reference. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2013, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/data-gathering-survey-regarding-spanking/652656/6 "2013-03-11T22:36:35Z")
Agreed. This is a poor substitute for a formally-conducted survey. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2013, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/data-gathering-survey-regarding-spanking/652656/7 "2013-03-12T00:00:36Z")
Between self-selection bias and the liberal atheist lean of the Dope, this “study” will have less statistical validity than soiled scot-tissue.