NPR, NFL & Child Abuse

[papatree84]

Getting Children to Behave

Child abuse is finally a topic in the mainstream s media. Check out this Article on NPR. It is pretty disturbing given that its focus is entirely on "getting children to behave" rather than respecting their own autonomy. One of the most disturbing things though is the fact that the author claims that "there is increasing evidence that that watching or engaging in aggressive behavior excites the reward centers in the brain, giving an incentive for aggression."

What is disturbing about this claim to me is that fact that it is not mentioned that if your rewards centers are firing when you are aggressive it means that you at least have sociopathic tendencies. The author tries to pass this off as acceptable behavior, to be excited by violence. Absolutely disgusting.

Another take on child abuse from our Lefty friends at NPR

[dsayers]

One of the most disturbing things though is the fact that the author claims that "there is increasing evidence that that watching or engaging in aggressive behavior excites the reward centers in the brain, giving an incentive for aggression."

What is disturbing about this claim to me is that fact that it is not mentioned that if your rewards centers are firing when you are aggressive it means that you at least have sociopathic tendencies.

 

Unpack it. Where aggression is present in the parent-child relationship, we know that the child is not being given proper nurturing and attention. IN THIS SCENARIO, the reward centers light up because it's attention. Not as desirable as positive attention, but better than no attention since neglect at that age is akin to perishing. So while trauma is a requisite for sociopathy, I wouldn't say that pleasure centers of a neglected person lighting up at SOME attention would be indicative of this necessarily.

 

This also likely explains why when aggression is used as an attempt to correct behavior, the behavior can be exhibited again as soon as 10 minutes later. When your world IS your caregiver, attention is validation.

[papatree84]

The article says that parents reward centers light up, not the kids. Parents are actually experiencing the dopamine rewards for inflicting puinishment....which i guess might refer back to their own childhoods. 

[dsayers]

My mistake. I still find myself resisting the conclusion that this is necessarily indicative of sociopathy. Clearly a person who could be aggressive towards a defenseless, imprisoned, dependent child is a victim of abuse themselves. Add to that the societal belief that such "parenting" accomplishes things such as building character, teaching respect, etc and it's not unexpected that their brains would indicate satisfaction.

 

I wish I could remember how she worded it, but I remember Allison Gopnik saying something along the lines of using aggression to condition behavior is destructive to the administrator as well. Primarily because it makes it easier to do again, which fits in with what you're talking about.