by Betsy Mikel
No one wants to be perceived as the annoying person in any social situation. But what if you are that person and don’t even know it?
If you’re prone to the humblebrag — be it in a meeting at work or in your social media posts — then you just might be. No one likes a humblebragger. There’s science to prove it.
A new study from researchers at Harvard and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill explored humblebragging and came to a definitive conclusion: Humblebraggers are less liked than people who just normally brag. Even complainers were better liked. What’s more, humblebraggers were also perceived to be less competent.
Here’s why: At least braggarts and complainers are being sincere. They’re not trying to mask anything. Humblebragging feels disingenuous.