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Home > Fundamental Concepts > Understanding Children/Redirecting Misbehavior/Fostering Contributions > Natural or Logical Consequences

Natural or Logical Consequences

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NOTE: Page numbers enclosed in parentheses are citations from The Individual  Psychology of Alfred Adler: A systematic presentation in selections from his writings. (H. L. and R. R. Ansbacher, Eds.).© 1964. Harper & Row, Publishers,  Inc. Used by permission of Perseus Books Group.

Dreikurs and Grey (1968) published a system for training the child in an atmosphere of mutual respect through the use of natural or logical consequences. Although the idea was an old one, as the citation from Robert G. Ingersoll (1833-1899), below, indicates, their system represents a practical method parents may employ that enables children to experience both the satisfying and unpleasant consequences of their choices and actions. This does away with the forms of parental guidance and direction that entail lecturing, nagging, punishing, and other instruments of discouragement. Dreikurs and Grey recognized that the emerging democratic family required new tools to replace the praise/reward and shame/punishment methods which characterize the fading autocratic tradition. Natural consequences follow upon the child's behavior without parental intervention. Parents are taught to allow their children to experience the outcomes of their own actions. Logical consequences, however, must be discussed and agreed upon among the affected family members in advance of their applications, preferably in the context of the regular family meeting. If not agreed upon in advance and in this consensus-finding forum, the consequences are more likely to be experienced as punishments from above to below than as outcomes of personal choice and actions. The use of natural or logical consequences enhances the child's developing sense of him- or herself as a responsible participant in shaping the character of family life, as well as the circumstances of his or her own individual life. Anything can be abused in practice, and it must be noted that "consequences" invoked during a power struggle are experienced by children as punishment. A power struggle should be taken as the sign of a general breakdown of cooperation, and its natural consequence is the requirement to start over, and to discover what is required on all sides to make peace. 

In nature there are neither rewards nor punishments. There are only consequences (Ingersoll, ¶ 5). 

 

© Griffith, J., & Powers, R. L. (2007).  The Lexicon of Adlerian Psychology:  106 terms Associated with the Individual Psychology of Alfred Adler (2nd ed.). Port Townsend, WA: Adlerian Psychology Associates (p. 71).

Definitions of concepts are used by permission of Jane Griffith. A comprehensive list of concepts and definitions can be found in The Lexicon of Adlerian Psychology: 106 Terms Associated with the Individual Psychology of Alfred Adler by Jane Griffith and Robert L. Powers, available for purchase on Amazon.com. 

References 

Dreikurs, R., & Grey, L. (1968).  Logical consequences: A new approach to discipline. New York: Meredith.

Ingersoll, R. G. (1833-1899). [Quotation]. Retrieved March 4, 2007 from http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Robert Ingersoll.


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Resources

12 Common Mistakes Parents Make When Using Consequences Handout


Added By: Admin
Areas of Focus: Natural or Logical Consequences
Resource Type: Reproducible Materials/Handouts
12 Common Mistakes Parents Make When Using Consequences Handout
Direct Link to this Resource

Punishment vs. Logical Consequences Handout
1/21/1994


Added By: Admin
Areas of Focus: Natural or Logical Consequences
Resource Type: Reproducible Materials/Handouts
Punishment vs. Logical Consequences Handout
Direct Link to this Resource

Natural Consequences Handout
What are natural consequences? When are they effective?


Added By: Admin
Areas of Focus: Natural or Logical Consequences
Resource Type: Reproducible Materials/Handouts
Natural Consequences Handout
Direct Link to this Resource

Punishment vs. Logical Consequences Handout (2006)
2006 Version


Added By: Admin
Areas of Focus: Natural or Logical Consequences
Resource Type: Reproducible Materials/Handouts
Punishment vs. Logical Consequences Handout (2006)
Direct Link to this Resource

Perspective on Parenting and Corporal Punishment
Jermaine Thomas discusses parenting and the messages sent through the use of corporal punishment. He present new ways of dealing with children through the use of logical consequences.

Jermaine Thomas provides a brief summary about the perspective of parenting and corporal punishment. He shares that two-thirds of young children have been recipients of corporal punishment and 85 percent of teenagers are corporally spanked or hit at some point in their life. Jermaine argues that corporal punishment models violent behavior which increases the likelihood of sending the message that corporal punishment is an accepted behavior. Jermaine talks about on how to deal with children, such as logical consequences.  


Added By: Admin
Areas of Focus: Parenting/Parent Training, Natural or Logical Consequences
Resource Type: Video
Direct Link to this Resource

Adlerian Consultation Hour with Dr. Jay Colker (02-16-2017)
During this consultation hour, a student presents the case of a 12-year-old female child, who is being treated within the context of family therapy. Dr. Colker assists the student in gaining a deeper understanding of the family and provides a conceptual framework to guide treatment.

During this consultation hour, a student presents the case of a 12-year-old female child, who is being treated within the context of family therapy. Dr. Colker assists the student in gaining a deeper understanding of the family and provides a conceptual framework to guide treatment. Dr. Colker encourages the student to assume a positive approach in which the family takes a "vacation" from the fighting in order to create positive engagement.

The student's reactions as the therapist were also processed as a means to better understand the dynamics that play out in session.

Video Length: 47:01


Added By: Admin
Areas of Focus: Family Therapy, Natural or Logical Consequences, Understanding Children/Redirecting Misbehavior/Fostering Contributions, Case Conceptualizatons, Jay Colker
Resource Type: Video
Direct Link to this Resource

Adlerian Consultation Hour with Dr. Jay Colker (03-30-2017)
During this consultation hour, Dr. Colker discusses a case, "The Hostile Teenager," by Ray Corsini with a group of students.

During this consultation hour, Dr. Colker discusses a case, "The Hostile Teenager," by Dr. Ray Corsini with a group of students. A line-by-line approach to interpretation is taken to understand the case. Focus is placed on understanding the effects of a pampered child. The use of consequences is also discussed.

Time length: 41:33


Added By: Admin
Areas of Focus: Raymond "Ray" J. Corsini, Mistaken Goals of the Discouraged Child, Natural or Logical Consequences, Parenting/Parent Training, Case Conceptualizatons, Jay Colker
Resource Type: Video
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