Why do people do these things?

[Hilary B]

Smacking or not is secondary. Some families can get results without it, some need the option (even if it never actually gets used) to turn a small wild animal of the species Homo Sapiens into a civilised human being. Not many (a few, in each case) actually turn out uncivilised because of a lack of smacking (or because of too much smacking). It is nearly always the general attitude of the parents that makes the difference. Parents who actually care about their children, AND care about standards, mostly end up with civilised kids by using the approach which seems right to them, whether it includes smacking or not (trying to do it the way that doesn't 'feel right' to the parents doing it, can cause problems). The exceptions tend to be triggered by external factors, or (probably less often) by medical causes.