OFFSPRING PERSONALITY AND PERCEPTIONS OF PARENTAL USE OF REWARD AND PUNISHMENT

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Abstract
40 college students filled out six questionnaires, three of which assessed their personality traits. On the others participants provided retrospective reports of their parents'' use of various disciplinary practices. Scores on the personality dimensions were correlated with the disciplinary variables. The hypothesis that perceived frequent parental use of punishing techniques would be associated with less desirable personality traits of offspring was confirmed. Results for fathers supported the hypothesis that parental use of rewards would be related to positive personality traits in offspring. For mothers, only the results regarding verbal reward were consistent with this hypothesis. Frequent maternal use of material reward and high scores for over-all use of reward were significantly related to anxiety and low self-esteem in offspring.