Sent to Siberia...willingly?

Goodgulf
If this actually works (how could you do a double blind study here?)

Setting the test parameters would be quite challenging, especially since you'd need baseline data on all your test subjects prior to commencing the study to gauge their initial susceptibility to such persuasive techniques. And some sort of spanking machine/device would be preferable to eliminate individual variability in how often and hard the "therapists" swing their "behavior modifiers." Did the subjects who grew up with parental persuasion score differently than those sent to "time out" instead? And are women easier or harder to persuade than men? But the NIH has funded worse... Why do I foresee someone posting a story about this subject soon?

There are quite a few studies out there already on frequent corporal punishment for behaviour modification purposes - studies done on mental asylum patients, disabled people, marginalized minorities, prisoners, juvenile delinquents, etc. Most of these studies are many decades old, though, since they didn't have to worry about ethics very much back then, plus the use of corporal punishment was indeed permitted on certain groups of people with fewer rights.

Statistical methods weren't as good back then, either, but good statisticians existed even then, so some of the results are still pretty informative.

The majority (though not all) of the studies found regular beatings failed to achieve consistent behaviour modification.

However, those old studies included only unwilling participants, so the results might actually come out differently if the subjects participate voluntarily. But then you would have to somehow figure out a preliminary survey questionnaire that would successfully separate the subjects who truly believe this treatment would work, from those who enjoy it for its own sake. Because that variable would definitely bias the results if you didn't take it into account.

I'm sorry but I find it absolutely amazing that you are all not only dedicated spankos but finding humor and jocularity over defilement of such a sacred situation. This thread is just plain sick and I'm appalled. Sorta ...

On the other hand, the very idea that any sign of arousal would immediately halt proceedings is so absurd as to validate this issue as fake news. Remember, you heard that here first.

It's almost as though this treatment might self-select a certain type of patient.

- No, of course you wouldn't.