Criticism - The Psychology of Criticism - Area of Study

Area of Study

The psychology of criticism is primarily concerned with:

• the motivation, purpose or intent which people have for making criticisms - healthy or unhealthy.
• the meaning of criticism for the self, and for others - positive or negative.
• the effect which criticism has on other people - good or bad.
• how people respond to criticisms, or cope with them - negatively or positively.
• the quantity and quality of criticism required to achieve the desired effect or outcome.
• the form in which criticisms are delivered - effective or ineffective.
• how people learn to give and receive criticism successfully.
• the sublimation, repression or denial of criticism.

Parents, teachers, lawyers, managers and politicians are often concerned with these issues, because it can make a great deal of difference to how problems are tackled and resolved.

The motivation as well as the effect of criticism may be rational, or it may be non-rational or arbitrary; it may be healthy or unhealthy.

When psychologists study criticism as a type of human behaviour, they do not usually study it "in general" - such a general study is often considered to be more a philosophical concern. Psychologists usually study it in specific contexts and situations. The reason is partly technical (it is difficult to construct and prove universal generalizations about criticism as a human behaviour) and partly practical (it is more useful to understand particular behaviours which are of direct practical concern).