Research paper
Breines JG, Chen S. Self-compassion increases self-improvement motivation. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. 2012 Sep;38(9):1133-1143. doi:10.1177/0146167212445599. PMID: 22645164.
Why we cite it
The first series of experiments to systematically include a self-esteem control condition alongside self-compassion, allowing direct comparison of these two positive self-attitudes for motivating self-improvement. Across four experiments spanning personal weaknesses, moral transgressions, and test failure, demonstrates that self-compassion increases motivation to improve — a counterintuitive finding that addresses the concern that self-compassion might lead to complacency. Experiment 3's self-compassion induction was adapted from Adams & Leary (2007) {{csc01}}. Referenced by 1 k-file and 3 companions.