Compliments have the same positive effect as recieving money

By Irada Yunusova

Whether for your clothes, your smile, or your car, getting complimented always feels nice. While considering the value of compliments, researchers have found that compliments boost performance. In fact, people respond similarly to receiving a compliment as they do to receiving cash.

In a recent study, 48 adults were asked to learn and perform a specific finger pattern in which they were to push keys on a keyboard in a specific order. The individuals were then split into three groups. In one group an evaluator complimented the participants, in a second group the participants saw another individual receive a compliment, and in the third group individuals evaluated their own performance on a graph. The following day all participants repeated the finger exercise. The participants who received compliments directly were significantly more efficient than those in the other two groups.

Researchers have found that the same area of the brain is activated when an individual is rewarded with both cash and compliments. Researchers theorize that both cash and compliments are related to an individual's sleep. In other studies, researchers have found that praise provides the right memory boost for the brain to more efficiently consolidate learning during sleep.

In addition to boosting morale, compliments can be utilized by teachers in schools and by managers in firms to boost efficiency. So the next time you notice someone else's shoes or dog, complimenting them will boost their mood, even affecting them the next day!

References: http://www.forbes.com/sites/daviddisalvo/2012/11/09/study-receiving-a-compliment-has-same-positive-effect-as-receiving-cash/