Question

When dealing with young children, any form of praise is effective, be it insincere, false praise, or genuine, honest praise.


True


False

Answer 1

False.

Insincere or false praise is not equally effective and can backfire. Young children are sensitive to tone and authenticity; praise that feels fake can undermine trust, reduce intrinsic motivation, and teach them to seek approval rather than learn. Research shows praise works best when it is:

- genuine and specific (descriptive rather than vague),
- focused on effort, strategy, or process (e.g., “You kept trying different ways to solve that puzzle”) rather than fixed traits (“You’re so smart”),
- contingent on actual achievement or improvement.

In short: use honest, specific, process-focused praise rather than blanket or insincere compliments.