The Power of a Compliment
As human beings, we want recognition and acknowledgement. It's natural, so when we receive a compliment we feel happy, confident, or worthy. So in times where people feel stressed or disconnected, compliments can be very important. I went up to 15 students at Souhegan High School to see what affect a compliment actually has on a person.
"Compliments are little gifts of love. They are not asked for or demanded. They tell a person they are worthy of notice. They are powerful gifts."
Researcher, Professor Sadation, explained “To the brain, receiving a compliment is as much a social reward as being rewarded money.”
"Compliments amplify positivity; they not only deliver positive effects to others, those effects bounce back on us, ramping up the positive atmosphere we breath."
"Compliments are in fact one of the finest tools for acquiring more social skills, because the returns are great and immediate. They escalate the atmosphere of positivity and become social lubricants, fostering the flow of conversation and advancing communication by enhancing receptivity."
Christine Carter, PhD, wrote an article in Psychology Today discussing the health benefits of altruistic acts. She reports that those who are kind, not only lived longer but that those who volunteered experienced less pain, lower levels of heart disease, depression and anxiety, and those aged 55 or older were 44% less likely to die.