Its usually used amongst Asian people, it is a punishment which utlizies psychological and physical pain. This gives the child a false sense of power over their own punishment. They usually go with the smaller ones even though they are all very painful.
Asian Parent: Go Get a Stick For me to Beat You With.
Asian Child: Okay... (Gets a thin smaller stick)
(The Asian Parent whips him with the stick and the Child feels a lot of pain, it stings a lot)