Overview
- Argentine outlets synthesize research showing that scarce or uneven praise in childhood leads many children to build an internal gauge of worth, with outcomes shaped by how specific and steady the recognition was.
- In adulthood, that inner gauge often shows up as strong self-reliance while compliments feel awkward or untrustworthy.
- The pattern can be a strength because it supports grit, steady work, and choices that do not hinge on outside approval.
- It can also add strain through strict self-judgment and distance in relationships when warm feedback does not feel credible.
- Psychologists cite self-determination and attachment theory, Rosenberg’s self-esteem research, and a Cambridge study led by Keise Izuma showing that praise activates the brain’s reward center, the striatum.