Ultimately, when wondering why and how some behaviors are punished, it often comes down to "power".
Punishment does not change the inclination to take part in the conduct that was punished. Rather, it influences the individual or the rodent to need to maintain a strategic distance from the wellspring of discipline. When the kid believes it's not being viewed (when the circumstance appears to be changed somehow), the propensity to participate in the conduct will reassert itself.