Analysis of Micro and Macro Factors Affecting Perception of Corporal Punishment

Objectives: In this study, we focused on how the perception of corporal punishment affects its use and analyzed both micro and macro factors related to these perceptions to prevent physical maltreatment.Methods: To examine the factors that affect perceptions of corporal punishment, we analyzed the most recent data from the World Values Survey (WVS) 7th (2017-2021). Our study focused on both micro and macro factors from an ecological perspective, separately examining the influence of personal and social factors. We included 23,631 participants from 13 countries in our final analysis.Results: First, micro factors that affect the perception of corporal punishment include gender, age, education level, and household income. Males, younger individuals, those with lower education levels, and those with lower household incomes tend to be more lenient toward corporal punishment. Second, macro factors such as respect for human rights and the legitimacy of assault on others also influence perceptions of corporal punishment. Additionally, the interaction between micro and macro factors reveals that in countries with low collective respect for human rights, women are more likely than men to view corporal punishment as justified.Conclusion: To protect children’s rights, both national efforts and international cooperation are essential to establish a new paradigm in the environmental ecosystem that addresses the climate crisis, as well as in the educational ecosystem encompassing home, school, society, and culture.