group paper social psychology

However, criticism can have two sides: constructive and destructive.. Not all forms of social criticism lead to good outcomes.. While constructive criticism can direct people towards bet

National Economics University

Business School

GROUP PAPER

SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY

Concept: Criticism

Instructors: Mr Thaddeus Hostetler

Class: EBBA 14.3

Name Student ID

Dé Qué Anh 11220153

Trương Ngọc Minh Châu 11220936

Đoàn Hồng Linh 11223400 Nguyễn Sơn Tùng 11226748

Lê Thị Minh Ngọc 11224676

Ha Noi - 5/2023

Contents

I Introduction 2

II Constructions 3 Chapter 1: Definition 3

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TH About the research: 14

1 Concept: 14

2 Logical link: 14

3 Difficulties and additional discussions: 15

IV Conclusion 16

V References 17

I Introduction

Social criticism is a crucial aspect of any society, as it helps individuals and groups identify flaws and imperfections in the system and work towards improving them However, criticism can have two sides: constructive and destructive Not all forms of social criticism lead to good outcomes While constructive criticism can direct people towards better things, destructive criticism can cause great mental and physical damage In this essay, our group will explore the traits of two types of criticism

Criticism focuses on identifying the flaws in society and offering solutions or alternatives to improve the system It is often fueled by a desire to create positive change and build a better society It’s good for us because it can bring people together and create

a sense of unity as individuals work towards a common goal However, not everyone can give effective criticism

On the other hand, destructive criticism focused on highlighting the negative aspects

of other people — without offering any solutions or alternatives It is often fueled by anger, frustration or too high expectations It can lead to polarization and division within society, hate or death

In our group essay, we will show you more clearly about the beginning of criticism and why it forms Furthermore, we will learn about the consequences of both sides and discuss in more depth how to create constructive criticism and not get into destructive criticism

IL Constructions

Chapter 1: Definition

I General definition of criticism

The word “criticism” goes way back from the ancient Greek language, with “kritos” meaning judge, and kritikos meaning critic Then, the meaning of judgment made its way

to Latin, forming “criticus” then to French (critique) and lastly made its appearance in the English language from the early 17th century under the name: criticism Particularly in English, criticism has split meanings It first appeared to be “a scholar analysis and balanced judgment’, then later turned into “an unfriendly assault” in many minds (1) However, according to reliable sources of contemporary language, criticism, 1n its truest form is:

1 (Moun) the expression of disapproval of someone or something based on perceived faults

or mistakes; the analysis and judgment of the merits and faults ofa literary or artistic work (Oxford Languages) (1)

2 The act of giving your opinion or judgment about the good or bad qualities of something

or someone, especially books, films, etc (2)

3 the act of expressing disapproval of somebody/something and opinions about their faults

or bad qualities; a statement showing this disapproval or the work or activity of making fair, careful judgements about the good and bad qualities of somebody/something, especially books, music, etc (3)

IL Definition of constructive & destructive criticism

1 Constructive criticism

“People who avoid all criticism fail It’s destructive criticism we need to avoid, not criticism in all forms.” Tim Ferriss, Entrepreneur, investor, author and podcaster For the most part, when being related to the word “criticism”, people often see it in

a negative light No one really enjoys feedback that suggests modifying your own self However, feedback from others is what pushes us forward, to improve ourselves in a particular area and to see things in a wider viewpoint As a result, the term “constructive criticism” exists to serve no other purpose than to be a sincere guidance, a mutual support that eventually leads someone to change for the better and reach their higher self, mentally

or physically

a By definition

“constructive criticism” is “honest, genuine, well-meaning feedback that provides a critique of the strengths and weaknesses of something or someone” (4)

b Components

Under the view of a constructive criticism, the four_components (5) of criticisms’ examination are perceived as:

- Intention: A constructive criticism comes from a place of support and problem-solving, from someone who is close to you, someone with your interests at heart, willing to express their ideas to see you improve and develop in a certain field

- Delivery: The manner of delivery should be subtle enough for recipients to take in the message A constructive criticism should be given at appropriate times, one-on-one or in a close group, while being delivered straightforwardly, respectfully and sincerely with a soothing tone and smart word choices

- Action: Commonly, a solution being put out in order for the recipient to make a change toward an issue is a great indicator of constructive criticism

- Person: A constructive criticism does not aim to attack any person’s self-worth Instead, its main focus is only on the present detail, the course of actions or the specific behavior

of an individual that needs to be reconsidered by the receiver

Therefore, it is crucial for any individual to recognize and be able to take in constructive criticism to see things in a bigger picture, to allow yourself to evolve in not just skills and knowledge, but also reaching emotional maturity

2 Destructive criticism

In total contrast, while both types of feedback point out our mistakes, flaws or potential Improvements, destructive criticism should deserve full avoidance

a By definition

“destructive criticism” is “negative feedback that is often incorrect, unsolicited, or downright malicious and can undermine, harm, or even destroy someone’s work, reputation, self-esteem” (5)

b Components

Under the view of a destructive criticism, the four components of criticisms’ examination are recognized as:

- Intention: Much different from the intention of caring and supporting, a destructive criticism can stem from prejudice, such as sexism, racism, etc or formed by the giver’s own hatred, self insecurities, frustrations, negative emotions

- Delivery: A destructive criticism is usually accompanied by a disrespectful manner to the receiver It could be the raise of voice, implied threat, or mocking body language The

choice of words are inappropriate to the context and both parties, which could lead to heated arguments, mental damage or even split-up

- Action: In constructive criticism, critics are usually experts who are willing to give helpful feedback In contrast, destructive criticism largely stems from an ignorant mind

In replacement of specific, clear, detailed and actionable solutions to save the situation or the relationship, the message received after destructive words are vague and nonspecific,

as it only aims to hurt feelings and offers no way of improvement

- Person: Under the scope of destructive criticism, not just the creation but also the creator is the focus of attack Personal attributes, knowledge, skill, personality, the whole self-worth of an individual is brought out to pour blame

Chapter 2: Repercussions of Destructive criticism

There is no doubt that destructive criticism brings about various drawbacks to humans It does not only affect the emotions of those being criticized, this kind of criticism causes a lot of health problems as well Moreover, destructive criticism is a potential risk

to connection between human beings as it creates arguments and pulls people away The following aspects are some of the major consequences of destructive criticism we have investigated

I Negative emotions

1 Sadness and anger

These may be the very first feelings you experience when receiving a bad comment According to the questionnaire we have conducted earlier, 36% of young people going through criticism felt bad and disappointed, and 5% of those felt frustrated Criticism can appear anywhere, no matter if it is from families, friends, or social groups We feel sad for ourselves for not being evaluated deservingly, or we feel sad for the effort we have put in our work not being appreciated We can also feel frustrated because we did not push ourselves hard enough, or for the feedback not going deep enough to understand what we

do These experiences are different for every person, however, it is true that sadness and anger do exist, and we do have to deal with it

2 Feeling of being Threatened

One of the common feelings but receives little attention when we face destructive criticism is the feeling of being threatened Threats have existed ever since the beginning

of human history There can be two reasons for why we feel threatened:

First of all, being destructively criticized influences our awareness of ego People tend to avoid all negative comments given to their performance by creating a wall of positive comments This has been proved in Shopping for Confirmation: How Disconfirming Feedback Shapes Social Networks (Paul Green, Jr., Francesca Gino ,Bradley Staats, 2017)

In this study, the authors noted that “these feedback processes are often ineffective because they represent threats to recipients’ positive self-concept” (6) People have awareness of their being, and they have the desire to express things in their own way Therefore, how ironic itis when some day, your opinions, your identity get judged by people This is why

we tend to ignore these comments as we consider them threats to our mindset, and also to

a factor demonstrated below

Besides, negative comments are also considered by our body a threat to our survival When receiving negative feedback, our mind processes a reaction called the fight-or-flight response This happens when we are put into danger or stress, causing a series of signs such

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as dilated pupils, rapid heart rates, etc, which is beneficial in helping us make decisions in dangerous situations, such as facing predators, however, it is not suitable for situations like receiving this kind of criticism, as it may be overreacting and can be harmful for our health

3 Stress

Of all emotions we may go through, being stressful can be considered the most serious one Stress exists when we are put under pressure, and criticism unarguably brings

a huge amount of pressure to us When someone is judged, they may experience a great deal of stress as their outcome is evaluated negatively and there is no support for the path they choose to follow Stress can result in physical, mental and behavioral failures You might have to endure headaches, muscle tension and fatigue, as well as anxiety and burnout In addition, controlling anger will become more difficult, use of tobacco and eating habits may also change Stress is a huge obstacle to many of us: youth, pioneers, artists, etc It hurts us from the inside and makes us neglect our health Thus, you may always be aware of what they think of you but not what you think of yourself, but you should never let those comments affect you

IL Effects on teamwork

1 Weakening the unity

Being a threat to our ego, destructive criticism brings along one more drawback When a person receives some harmful feedback from one of their peers, they have the intention of keeping their distance from those giving the feedback They tend to be around people who are supportive of their ideas and stay away from the opposite so as to protect their point of view A higher chance of arguments is also possible as now two people become defensive towards each other As a result, the state of unity of this team may not stay sustainable

2 Weakening performance the team

It is acommon fact that unity is a key to efficiency However, destructive criticism attenuates this amazing factor to lead the team to the final goal A team in which members keep arguing and criticizing is not a perfect place to seed mind-blowing ideas As mentioned before, receiving a negative comment can make ateam member anxious as well

as lower their confidence As a result, there is little opportunity for a breakthrough to be brought into action due to fear of failure or judgement

3 Damaging an ideal working environment

Destructive criticism creates a toxic environment among peers Quoted from author Jennifer Herrity, where “When you have the opportunity to ask questions and receive feedback, it can help you feel valued in the workplace.” and “allows you to grow by getting

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open, constructive feedback” (7) is a healthy working environment Destructive criticism

is against this characteristic of an ideal teamwork place since it destroys the relationships

of teammates and brings tension to the whole collective Moreover, it is extremely harmful

to work in such a team for a long time, as you can be affected by physical and mental problems, such as fatigue and mental meltdown

II Creating a bad environment

1 Among people in society

Although it may seem rare to catch any sign of negative criticism in the outside world because it is rude and people often do not have the courage to do so, itis still possible

to observe several actions of silent judgement Whenever someone dresses differently from other people, they have a high opportunity to receive “side eyes” from bypassers In our questionnaire, appearance and background are considered two contents receiving the most amount of destructive criticism - respectively 79.3% and 69% of people joining the research Judging people only by their expression without any deep knowledge about their personality can create misunderstanding and lack of empathy, which is really crucial when

it comes to connecting people There may be no word, but non-verbal criticism can create uncomfortable tension as well, and it makes distance among individuals in the whole community

2 On social platforms

Everyday on social media, people are being harshly criticized for showing their identity Take the case of Taylor Swift for example In the year of 2016, she was booed and boycotted on almost every social channel because of edited footage and a wrong story made up by other shameful celebrities Many of the followers turned their back on her, and the hashtag #TaylorSwiftisOverParty is a true nightmare Years later, although she has been proved blameless, the artist has decided to give up being active on her social channels like she used to She was hurt, but no one took any responsibility for that This is the reality

of the modern world: people spit out things too easily but they do not care about their words Hate spreads with an incredible speed on social platforms and so does it disappear Only by a wrong source of information, one person can be hated for no reason, and before their memories of the event instantly fade away, the bullies do not even figure out they are the bullies The existence of social media has helped us keep connection, however, toxicity

is growing so quickly

Chapter 3: Repercussions of Constructive criticism

Whether at work or in one’s personal life, having someone criticize with kindness will have a much more positive result As a matter of fact, effectiveness within an organization is measured by many factors which include feedback ratings of the team members Constructive criticism benefits everyone for the following reasons

“In order to excel, you must be completely dedicated to your chosen sport You must also

be prepared to work hard and be willing to accept constructive criticism Without one- hundred percent dedication, you won't be able to do this " Willie Mays

I The adviser

1 Builds trust

In every environment, constructive criticism is given to help people When properly administered, it will strengthen the employee-manager bond, friendship, etc because it adds depth to the relationship.To exemplify, when employees know their boss cares enough to dole out advice in a respectful manner will make them feel valued This creates trust, because they know their manager has their best interests at heart and wants

to help them become their best self

2 Improve the ability of evaluation

The adviser could develop their ability of evaluation and giving comments Giving constructive criticism is not always easy as it is turned into destructive criticism In order

to do this, people need to have a process of specifying, analyzing problems, choosing proper words, giving solutions, etc This course of actions provides them synthesis skills which allow them to give right constructive criticism Thus gaining further benefits: “We found that leaders in a supportive environment for feedback had much better performance improvement over time than those in the unsupportive feedback environment”, said Steelman, a professor of I/O psychology at the Florida Institute of Technology (12)

II The receiver

1 Promotes Growth

To tell the truth, constructive criticism is designed to help people realize their full potential Rather than focusing on what they did wrong, this type of feedback offers advice

on ways to improve performance next time Gaining a different perspective allows people

to expand their horizons and become more well-rounded individuals This is because the