ABSTRACT
The scientific study of punishment is embedded in the work of the great learning psychologists such as Watson, Guthrie, Thorndike, Mowrer, Skinner, and many others. There are probably as many different definitions or models of punishment as there are different schools of learning theory. There are, however, two kinds of behavior that are enhanced by punishment. One is a certain kind of instinctive behavior which appears to be facilitated by fear, and the other is behavior that has previously been established by punishment procedures. R. Schwitzgebel reports a number of cases of successful treatment of transvestism, sadism, homosexuality, and alcoholism by using a variety of punishment techniques such as nauseating drugs or electric shocks. It was argued that intense punishment creates an emotional level that interferes with the learning process. High cognitive structure in the form of a rationale accompanying a punishment increased response inhibition. To increase the certainty of punishment, one must necessarily increase the level of law enforcement.
