Which of the following statements regarding discipline and punishment is/are false?

Many parents (and other adults) equate discipline with punishment.
Punishment does not develop self-discipline; it only stops behaviour for the moment.
Punishment may fulfil a short-term goal but interferes with the accomplishment of the long-term goal of self-control.
All of the given options are false.
None of the given options are false.

1 answer

To determine which statements are false regarding discipline and punishment, let’s evaluate each one:

  1. Many parents (and other adults) equate discipline with punishment.

    • This statement is generally true. Many adults do conflate discipline with punishment, despite the two concepts having different meanings.
  2. Punishment does not develop self-discipline; it only stops behaviour for the moment.

    • This statement is also true. Research suggests that punishment can be effective in the short term but does not promote long-term self-discipline.
  3. Punishment may fulfil a short-term goal but interferes with the accomplishment of the long-term goal of self-control.

    • This statement is true as well. While punishment might lead to immediate compliance, it often does not facilitate the internalization of self-control.

Since all three statements made are true, we can conclude:

  • All of the given options are false. → False
  • None of the given options are false. → True

Therefore, the correct answer is "None of the given options are false."