How ‘Conditions of Worth’ Can Become People-Pleasing Behavior
Understanding how being taught your value as conditional can lead to “chasing” validation.
Self-worth is a fundamental concept surrounding how we feel about ourselves, how we perceive ourselves, and how we engage with others. The way we interpret our value is conditioned in childhood, as a normal process of development between caregiver and child. Yet, what we are conditioned to believe about our value and worth are the result of our earliest lived experiences, including the role that our environment plays (mom, dad, caregivers, teachers, and friends).
‘Conditions of Worth’ is a theory that was coined by Humanistic psychologist Carl Rogers. He recognized how external conditions can affect whether we believe we measure up to others, and our ability to feel valued and worthwhile. He believed that in order for us to flourish, we need an environment that will foster acceptance, unconditional positive regard, and empathy with those in our lives.
While the humanist perspective differs from a behaviorist perspective, both place importance on how a person’s environment can foster a healthy sense of self-worth, or a lack of it.
