An analysis of some variables influencing the effectiveness of reprimands.
Close, eye-level reprimands with light touch cut disruption three times more than distant words.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Kydd et al. (1982) tested how small changes in a teacher’s reprimand change classroom behavior.
They worked with six disruptive elementary students in a special-ed room.
Each day the teacher switched how she scolded: close with eye contact and a light shoulder touch, or far away with no eye contact.
What they found
Reprimands delivered within arm’s reach and with eye contact cut disruption to almost zero.
The same words from across the room barely helped.
Even kids who were not scolded started behaving better — a spillover effect.
How this fits with other research
Rasing et al. (1992) later repeated the idea with ADHD students and saw the same punch: immediate close reprimands worked as well as Ritalin for some kids.
Bondy et al. (1976) had already shown spillover in preschool, proving the peer effect R saw was real.
Fontes et al. (2021) re-checked old warnings about punishment side-effects and found little evidence of harm, backing R’s safe results.
Why it matters
You can triple the power of a reprimand without raising your voice. Step in close, get eye level, and add a brief hand on the shoulder. The whole room calms, not just the one child. Use it as a quick tool while you build reinforcement programs that last.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Although several studies have shown that social reprimands can function as punishers, no study reported to data has isolated any of the factors influencing reprimand efficacy. Three experiments were conducted to investigate several factors. Experiment 1 used an alternating treatments design and was conducted on two elementary school boys, one of whom was in a special education class. Results showed that verbal reprimands delivered with eye contact and firm grasp of the student's shoulders reduced disruptive behavior to a greater extent than did verbal reprimands delivered without eye contact and grasp. Both types of reprimand were more effective than a baseline condition during which disruptive behavior was ignored. Experiment 2 also used an alternating treatments design and was conducted on one elementary school boy. Results demonstrated that reprimands delivered from one meter away were considerably more effective than reprimands delivered from seven meters away. Experiment 3 used a reversal design and was conducted on two pairs of elementary school children, one a pair of boys and the other a pair of girls. Results demonstrated that reprimands delivered to just one member of the pair reduced the disruptive behavior of both members of the pair. Thus, the effects of reprimands "spilled" over to nonreprimanded students.
Journal of applied behavior analysis, 1982 · doi:10.1901/jaba.1982.15-65