Punishment received little attention in the psychological research literature prior to the 1960s, primarily due to the fact that:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Early behaviorists, such as B.F. Skinner, believed that punishment is ineffective in reducing behavior and instead advocated for positive reinforcement as a more effective way of shaping behavior. Thus, punishment received little attention in the psychological research literature prior to the 1960s.

Punishment Received Little Attention in the Psychological Research Literature Prior