I think you're right about childhood conditioning. My dad would line us up if no one admitted to an offense and we'd all got whipped. After the first few times I'd start to cry as soon as he lined us up. I'd get the whipping because crying meant that I did it. My brothers never cried so got off without the wacking.

Funny I never thought of it as abuse. Back then everyone I knew got whipped occasionally. It was an accepted part of childhood. For me the abuse seemed more mental than physical, because I only got hit occasionally and the mental torment was pretty much daily.