People who suffered in past get more praises for future good deeds: Study
Researchers have discovered that people praise someone more for their good deeds as an adult after discovering that person has also had to overcome adversity earlier in life, such as abuse and neglect. These findings were published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology.
Philip Robbins, an associate professor and chair of the Department of Philosophy in the MU College of Arts and Science, said these findings can help narrow a knowledge gap found in both psychology and philosophy, two disciplines that study human behaviour. “Historically, psychology and philosophy have had a stronger focus on the ‘dark’ side of human behaviour, such as moral wrongdoing, and less attention has been placed on studying the ‘light’ side of human behaviour, such as acts of altruism,” he said.
“This research aims to provide a better understanding of a relatively neglected aspects of human psychology, the human mind, and the human condition, which concerns how people process and react to positive behaviours, such as giving praise,” added Robbins.
The research is based on results from 974 participants. Robbins said the findings are also relevant to thinking about criminal sentencing, particularly in capital trials. Defence counsel often presents evidence of clients’ suffering and victimisation in their early years, and the authors’ previous and current studies support this practice.
He added the findings point to a broader issue about how people judge others without knowing who they really are. “It’s important that we pay attention to human beings, not just as creatures that do bad things to each other, but also as creatures that do good things for each other,” Robbins said.