FWIW, it's an article from the June 12th issue of US News & World Report. I thought their comments about what doesn't work were as interesting as the 8 things that do work. It all sorta goes with my other thread about parenting. Sorta.
Good Parents, Bad Results
8 ways science shows that Mom and Dad go wrong when disciplining their kids
(a few paragraphs to tell what it's about)
Researchers have spent decades studying what motivates children to behave and can now say exactly what discipline methods work and what don't: Call it "evidence-based parenting." Alas, many of parents' favorite strategies are scientifically proven to fail. "It's intuitive to scream at your child to change their behavior, even though the research is unequivocal that it won't work," says Alan Kazdin, a psychologist who directs the Yale Parenting Center and Child Conduct Clinic. Other examples:
Yelling and reasoning are equally ineffective; kids tune out both.
Praise doesn't spoil a child; it's one of the most powerful tools that parents can use to influence a child's actions. But most parents squander praise by using it generically "you're so smart" or "good job!" or skimping.
Spanking and other harsh punishments ("You're grounded for a month!") do stop bad behavior but only temporarily. Punishment works only if it's mild, and it is far outweighed by positive reinforcement of good behavior.
http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/living-well-usn/2008/06/12/good-parents-bad-results.html
Good Parents, Bad Results
8 ways science shows that Mom and Dad go wrong when disciplining their kids
(a few paragraphs to tell what it's about)
Researchers have spent decades studying what motivates children to behave and can now say exactly what discipline methods work and what don't: Call it "evidence-based parenting." Alas, many of parents' favorite strategies are scientifically proven to fail. "It's intuitive to scream at your child to change their behavior, even though the research is unequivocal that it won't work," says Alan Kazdin, a psychologist who directs the Yale Parenting Center and Child Conduct Clinic. Other examples:
Yelling and reasoning are equally ineffective; kids tune out both.
Praise doesn't spoil a child; it's one of the most powerful tools that parents can use to influence a child's actions. But most parents squander praise by using it generically "you're so smart" or "good job!" or skimping.
Spanking and other harsh punishments ("You're grounded for a month!") do stop bad behavior but only temporarily. Punishment works only if it's mild, and it is far outweighed by positive reinforcement of good behavior.
http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/living-well-usn/2008/06/12/good-parents-bad-results.html