bythemethod.com blog

I’ve read a fair bit lately about a study into whether positive affirmation statements are in fact bad for you. A study undertaken by Psychologists Joanne V. Wood and John W. Lee from the University of Waterloo, and W.Q. Elaine Perunovic from the University of New Brunswick, has concluded that people with low self esteem get no benefit from repeating unrealistic affirmations about themselves and in fact the so called affirmations had the opposite effect (but only very slightly). They also found that the affirmations only very slightly raised the self esteem of those with high self esteem.

I’m not personally surprised by these results but I’m not convinced that this actually tells us anything we didn’t already know. Affirmations (for those who suggest them as part of a self help regime) are not a quick fix but instead are designed to help people replace the negative things that they believe about themselves. Psychologists (especially sports Psychologists) have used them for a long time and many report very good results.

I’m always amused by those who pick up on these stories and then turn them into rants against self help and positive thinking. The health benefits of positive thinking are well documented as are the benefits of self help that is done properly (just ask anyone who has given up smoking).

Like all ideas there are quacks who abuse the vulnerable but this doesn’t make the idea wrong. We wouldn’t reject medicine because some make sugar pills so why reject self help because some abuse the ideas behind it?

I welcome the study and I’m sure the findings are important but perhaps only in exposing that just going through the motions of anything don’t make it effective.

Affirmations should be done in the right way and not seen as a quick fix for anything.