Public preview

Specific Praise Over Generic

Instead of "great job," describe exactly what he did — "I love how you split the problem into two steps."

5 min Beginner

Goal

Develop descriptive specific praise so the child identifies exactly what he does well and replicates it.

Steps

1

Notice daily generic praise: "great," "champ," "smart." Count it.

4 more steps locked

Expected Outcome

Immediate

The child repeats the specific behavior — he learned what works.

Evidence base

School: Descriptive Praise — Faber-Mazlish + Dweck

Founders: Adele Faber · Elaine Mazlish · Carol Dweck · Jennifer Henderlong (1980)

Faber & Mazlish (1980) introduced descriptive praise. Henderlong & Lepper (2002) meta-analysis proved it builds higher intrinsic motivation than generic praise.

Frequently asked questions

How long does "Specific Praise Over Generic" take?

This exercise takes about 5 minutes, practiced with another person in a Behavioral format.

When will I notice the effect of "Specific Praise Over Generic"?

The child repeats the specific behavior — he learned what works. In the short term: Within two weeks, he describes his successes himself instead of "good Dad?"

Is "Specific Praise Over Generic" evidence-based?

Yes — it draws on Descriptive Praise — Faber-Mazlish + Dweck (Adele Faber, Elaine Mazlish, Carol Dweck, Jennifer Henderlong (1980)). Faber & Mazlish (1980) introduced descriptive praise. Henderlong & Lepper (2002) meta-analysis proved it builds higher intrinsic motivation than generic praise.

Is "Specific Praise Over Generic" suitable for beginners?

Its difficulty level is: Beginner. No external tools required — it can be practiced directly inside the app.

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