They may help us to perceive otherwise “threatening” messages with less resistance, including interventions (Logel & Cohen, 2012).Self-affirmations have been used effectively in interventions that led people to increase their physical behavior (Cooke et al., 2014).Self-affirmations have been shown to decrease health-deteriorating stress (Sherman et al., 2009 Critcher & Dunning, 2015).Now that we know more about the theories supporting positive affirmations, here are six examples of evidence from empirical studies that suggest that positive self-affirmation practices can be beneficial: The results of a study by Falk and colleagues suggest that when we choose to practice positive affirmations, we’re better able to view “otherwise-threatening information as more self-relevant and valuable” (2015: 1979). As we’ll see in a moment, this can have several benefits because it relates to how we process information about ourselves. If you want to be super specific, the ventromedial prefrontal cortex-involved in positive valuation and self-related information processing-becomes more active when we consider our personal values (Falk et al., 2015 Cascio et al., 2016). There is MRI evidence suggesting that certain neural pathways are increased when people practice self-affirmation tasks (Cascio et al., 2016). The development of self-affirmation theory has led to neuroscientific research aimed at investigating whether we can see any changes in the brain when we self-affirm in positive ways. We say it because we want to deserve that praise for acting in ways that are consistent with that particular personal value. In terms of positive affirmations, we don’t say something like “I am a responsible godmother” because we want to receive that praise. Lastly, we maintain self-integrity by acting in ways that authentically merit acknowledgment and praise. Rather, we just need to be competent and adequate in different areas that we personally value in order to be moral, flexible, and good (Steele, 1988). ![]() Secondly, self-affirmation theory argues that maintaining self-identity is not about being exceptional, perfect, or excellent (Cohen & Sherman, 2014). Why is this a good thing? Because it means we can view different aspects of ourselves as being positive and can adapt to different situations much better (Aronson, 1969). This means we can define success in different ways, too. We can see ourselves as adopting a range of different identities and roles. Instead of viewing ourselves in one “fixed” way, say as a “student” or a “son”, our self-identity can be flexible. Self-identity (which we’re seeking to maintain, as mentioned before) is not the same as having a rigid and strictly defined self-concept. This makes up our self-identity (Cohen & Sherman, 2014). In this narrative, we are flexible, moral, and capable of adapting to different circumstances. They are worth having in mind if we are to understand how positive affirmations work according to the theory.įirst, through self-affirmation, we keep up a global narrative about ourselves. Self-affirmation theory has three key ideas underpinning it. Very briefly, self-integrity relates to our global self-efficacy-our perceived ability to control moral outcomes and respond flexibly when our self-concept is threatened (Cohen & Sherman, 2014). So, we as humans are motivated to protect ourselves from these threats by maintaining our self-integrity. So, yes, there are empirical studies based on the idea that we can maintain our sense of self-integrity by telling ourselves (or affirming) what we believe in positive ways. One of the key psychological theories behind positive affirmations is self-affirmation theory (Steele, 1988). The Psychological Theory Behind Positive Affirmations ![]() The good news is that the practice and popularity of positive affirmations are based on widely accepted and well-established psychological theory. Positive affirmations require regular practice if you want to make lasting, long-term changes to the ways that you think and feel. If you frequently find yourself getting caught up in negative self-talk, positive affirmations can be used to combat these often subconscious patterns and replace them with more adaptive narratives. You may choose to use positive affirmations to motivate yourself, encourage positive changes in your life, or boost your self-esteem. Practicing positive affirmations can be extremely simple, and all you need to do is pick a phrase and repeat it to yourself. Put simply, they are positive phrases or statements used to challenge negative or unhelpful thoughts. What are Positive Affirmations? A Definitionįortunately, positive affirmations are almost as easy to define as they are to practice.
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