When Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim recently mentioned the idea of bringing back the rotan (caning) in schools, it reignited an age-old debate: Do children learn best through fear, or understanding?
While the intention behind such a proposal may be to restore discipline and respect in schools, decades of research and modern neuroscience tell a different story.
Punishment may silence behaviour in the short term, but it often leaves long-term scars on the developing mind.
The Psychology Of Punishment: Fear Is Not Learning
For generations, physical punishment was seen as “tough love.” Many of us grew up believing that a few strokes of the cane could straighten any child out.
But psychological research over the past 50 years paints a clearer, and more troubling, picture.
Recent studies from the World Health Organization (WHO) and psychologists Elizabeth Gershoff and Andrew Grogan-Kaylor show that corporal punishment doesn’t create discipline — it creates fear, anxiety, and defiance.
Children who are physically punished are more likely to become aggressive, struggle with self-esteem, and show higher levels of depression and antisocial behaviour as adults.
Even when the punishment seems “mild,” the child’s nervous system reacts as though they are under threat. They comply not because they understand what is right, but because they are afraid.
Over time, that fear erodes trust — between child and parent, or between student and teacher. It also damages the very bond that real learning depends on: emotional safety.
What Happens In The Brain During Punishment
Modern neuroscience reveals why harsh discipline backfires. When a child feels pain or fear, the amygdala — the brain’s alarm system — takes over.
This triggers a flood of stress hormones, shutting down the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for reasoning, memory, and self-control.
In that moment, the child’s brain is in survival mode, not learning mode. They cannot think clearly, process feedback, or reflect on their actions.
A Harvard University study even found that spanking alters brain activity in the same neural regions involved in trauma and threat perception.
Repeated exposure to this kind of stress can change how a young brain develops, making it more reactive, anxious, and impulsive.
In essence, the rotan might stop the behaviour now, but it may also hard-wire fear and aggression into a child’s emotional blueprint.
Why Positive Reinforcement Works Better
Psychology has long offered an alternative that actually works: positive reinforcement. The concept is simple — reward the behaviour you want to see, and guide children to understand the consequences of their choices.
Positive reinforcement doesn’t mean being permissive. It means shifting from “How do I punish?” to “What can I teach right now?” It means pairing discipline with empathy — explaining, reflecting, and reinforcing values through consistency and care.
Research consistently shows that children who grow up with encouragement, structure, and warmth are more self-disciplined and cooperative than those raised with fear.
As developmental psychologist Alan Kazdin puts it, positive discipline “teaches what to do, rather than punishing what not to do.”
When a teacher praises a student for being attentive or respectful, the brain releases dopamine — the “feel-good” chemical — which strengthens learning and motivation.
Over time, this creates intrinsic discipline: the child behaves well, not because they fear pain, but because they feel proud of doing the right thing.
The Role Of Emotional Regulation
Emotional regulation — the ability to manage one’s feelings — is the real foundation of discipline. Many misbehaviours stem not from “bad kids” but from overwhelming emotions: frustration, anger, shame, or fear. Punishment only intensifies those feelings.
Instead, children need adults who can co-regulate with them — staying calm, helping them name their feelings, and showing how to cool down before making choices. This is how the prefrontal cortex learns to manage impulses.
Teaching emotional regulation can look simple: asking a child to take deep breaths, reflect on what triggered them, or problem-solve better options. Over time, this builds resilience — a skill that lasts far longer than fear of a cane.
Digital Overload And Modern Challenges
Today’s Malaysian youth face a completely different world than their parents did. Social media, smartphones, and endless stimulation have rewired attention spans and reward systems in the brain. Research links excessive screen use to poor sleep, impulsivity, and emotional dysregulation.
But again, punishment isn’t the cure. Confiscating a phone or caning a teen for staying online does little to teach why they struggle to disconnect. What they need is digital literacy and emotional coaching — understanding how technology affects their brains and moods, and learning healthy boundaries around it.
Equally important is helping them reclaim focus and creativity through non-digital outlets: sports, arts, volunteering, and real human interaction. A supportive environment that values balance and curiosity can help them thrive in a hyperconnected era.
Rethinking Our Education System
In parallel, our schools must evolve from rote memorisation to critical thinking and emotional education. When children are encouraged to ask questions, collaborate, and apply knowledge, they engage the brain’s higher cognitive functions. They feel competent, not coerced.
Prime Minister Anwar himself has highlighted the need for education that shapes character and values, not just grades. A compassionate learning culture achieves exactly that — producing confident, curious students who take responsibility for their actions because they understand them.
A Call for Compassionate Discipline
So, should we bring back the rotan? Perhaps a better question is: What kind of society do we want to build?
A nation that disciplines through fear will raise citizens who obey out of fear.
A nation that guides with empathy will raise citizens who act out of conscience.
Malaysia’s future depends on nurturing emotionally intelligent, critically thinking youth, not traumatised ones. We can still have firm rules and high expectations, but we must pair them with understanding, safety, and love.
In the end, discipline is not about control. It’s about connection.
Sitra Panirsheeluam is a behavioural therapist at Global Doctors Hospital and MindNexis Mental Health Centre.
- This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of CodeBlue.
