Considerable research on animals using corporal punishment indicates that it is not more effective than other punishments and some studies show that it is less effective. Spanking does not change behavior in the long term because it only teaches children to avoid the misbehavior when the person who spanks is near. Spanking and the use of other forms of physical punishment are often used as a punishment for fighting or hitting by children. The hypocrisy of this is not lost on children. Corporal punishment is reserved for children.
Most people remember being spanked by parents or teachers.
Often they remember it with crystal clarity when other memories of childhood may be fuzzy. It is clear that these are very emotional events and they become engraved in memory. It is hard for us to believe that people who loved us would intentionally hurt us. While most of us turn out O.K. in spite of spanking, it seems likely that it effects us in negative ways. Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Austria, Finland, Italy and Cyprus do not allow hitting of children.