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October 2008
Feelgood Economy
STIFF UPPER LIP MAKES BRITS EMOTIONALLY IMPOVERISHED
Britons’ inability to compliment one another is damaging the nation’s self-esteem and leading to widespread emotional poverty, according to a major new report by NIVEA Body.
NIVEA Body report calls for emergence of a ‘Feelgood Economy’
The Feelgood Economy report, by social psychologist Dr Alicia Renedo, is the result of a three month-long experiment into the psychological effects of giving and receiving compliments. Positive recognition from others is one of the key factors affecting body confidence and the report highlights the need to improve society’s ability to ‘trade’ in compliments to increase self-esteem levels.
In the experiment, 29 women participated in coaching sessions to overcome social barriers that inhibit the trade of compliments. They then took part in focus groups, social media support groups and individual interviews to discuss their changing attitude to themselves and others, and completed self-observation diaries to document their experience. Detailed qualitative and quantitative data was taken throughout the experiment to assess changes in body confidence and participants’ thoughts and attitudes.
Quantitative results showed a statistically significant increase in the group’s self-esteem and 59% of the group showed increases in their own self-esteem measures. Qualitative data identified three insights from the participants:
1. Awareness & acceptance – participants began to recognise the barriers to complimenting, taking the first step to overcoming them.
2. Emotional empowerment – participants reported better emotional connection with others as a result of complimenting.
3. Feelgood economy – women began to recognise compliments as a basic human need and called for a better trade in compliments for everyone. Participants saw the value in a society where relationships act as marketplaces where compliments are the currency to make themselves and others happier.
The Feelgood Economy report explains that a critical internal voice, traceable to values instilled in childhood, blocks us from giving and receiving compliments, even though we recognise their value. The subjects were trained to recognise and challenge this voice, so they were better able to compliment and be complimented.
Currently, British society exhibits compliment ‘constipation’, where social recognition is withheld, depriving others of the recognition needed to reinforce their self-esteem. An attitudinal study* informed by the Feelgood Economy report, showed 72% of British people have admired something about somebody but held back from complimenting them. We also lack the ability to receive compliments: 57% of people feel uncomfortable when given a compliment.
The inability to both give and receive compliments is especially prevalent in the youngest age group – 18-24 year olds. This age group are also most likely to find compliments about their body most flattering, reflecting their need to have their appearance recognised by peers.
If the advice of the Feelgood Economy report is heeded, and individuals invest in becoming better compliment traders, the positive effect could spread through society exponentially. Of the people surveyed, 57% report feeling better motivated to compliment others when they receive compliments themselves, rising to 67% in the 18-24 year olds, who gain most from social recognition.
Dr Renedo concludes, “We don’t just need to learn how to give and receive compliments better as individuals, but also to make changes in British society so complimenting becomes acceptable, and remove the cynicism that represses our ability to share positive thoughts and accept them without suspicion.
“Our research shows that people who can trade compliments freely want to invest more in themselves so a strong feelgood economy might actually support the financial economy as well as having far reaching benefits for society and helping individuals feel more confident about themselves and their bodies.”
