r/technology • u/Choobeen • 9h ago

Society Research shows the 'compliment sandwich' is no longer effective - University of Western Ontario

https://phys.org/news/2025-08-compliment-sandwich-longer-effective.html
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743

u/rerunderwear 9h ago

Was it ever?

34

u/Krags 4h ago

It helps me. I easily experience rejection sensitive dysphoria, so I need this stuff as a reassurance.

I think there's a large minority of people like me.

25

u/Ruddertail 2h ago

It's anecdotal but basically everyone I've asked regardless of age says it's easier to accept criticism if there's something positive to go with it. Pure criticism triggers this reaction to reject it.

5

u/EconomicRegret 1h ago

This!

Also, much easier if criticism were a two-way, "us vs challenge" conversation and formulated as figuring out how to get to a specific outcome.

E.g. "how would you increase J processing speed to L and how can I help you with that?" , instead of a blunt "you're too slow".

1

u/rwilcox 33m ago

The problem with me is that now when I hear a compliment or something positive, I’m waiting for the “meat” of the compliment sandwich to drop.

So,stoked they’re just being nice, and here I am bracing for the tear down.

2

u/chileangod 2h ago

An extremely large minority of 2%.    /jk