How the Wrong Kind of Praise Could Increase a Student’s Feelings of Shame

Whether it's our children, our students, or our pets, I think it's pretty natural and automatic to want to offer praise for a job well done. We're happy for them, and pleased to see them do well. But what happens when they fall short in some way? Whether it's a subpar performance, a mediocre grade, or a mistake on the carpet, does our praise help to offset the pain (or shame) of these moments? Or do things not work quite this way? A 2014 study reveals some interesting details on the specifi...