Effects of Vicarious Punishment: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Vicarious punishment involves observing a model exhibit a behavior that leads to punishment for the model. If observers then exhibit the behavior at a lower rate than do individuals in a control group, vicarious punishment occurred. The authors report the results of a meta-analysis of studies that tested for vicarious-punishment effects. Across 21 research samples and 876 participants, the viewing of a model experiencing punishment for a behavior led to a significantly lower level of the behavior by the observers, d = 0.58. Vicarious punishment occurred consistently with (a) live and filmed models, (b) severe and nonsevere punishment for the model, (c) positive punishment a!one or positive plus negative punishment, (d) various types of behavior, (e) adults and children, and (f) male and female participants. The findings have implications for the use of models in reducing undesirable behavior.