Everyone has encountered someone who seems to exude a significant amount of self-satisfaction. The way they behave, speak, and even move can be irritating to others.
These behaviors are often repeated and can lead to a perception of arrogance, making them unpopular among their peers.
What is self-satisfaction behavior?
Self-satisfaction behavior is defined as a set of actions or attitudes that suggest a person is completely satisfied with themselves.
It is the appearance of self-confidence to the point of seeming to lack awareness of other people’s feelings or viewpoints. Examples of such behaviors include bragging, interrupting, talking down to others, and monopolizing conversations.
The Psychology of Self-Satisfaction Behaviors
Several studies suggest that people who exhibit self-satisfaction behaviors tend to have low self-esteem. This contradicts the common belief that individuals who seem overly confident are likely to have high self-esteem.
Self-satisfaction behaviors may be a way of compensating for their feelings of inadequacy and insecurity.
People who are confident or have high self-esteem do not need to brag or belittle others to feel good about themselves. In contrast, those who engage in such behaviors often do it to maintain their sense of self-worth.
This temporary sense of confidence boosts their ego and serves as an antidote to their low self-esteem.
The Most Annoying Self-Satisfaction Behaviors
Here are some of the most annoying self-satisfaction behaviors:.
Bragging
Bragging is perhaps the most commonly recognized self-satisfaction behavior. It is the habit of constantly talking about oneself and inflating one’s achievements or possessions.
Bragging irritates others because it comes across as insincere and superficial. People who brag are often viewed as seeking validation and attention.
Interrupting
Interrupting is another common self-satisfaction behavior. It is the act of cutting off someone else while they are talking.
Interrupting others shows a lack of respect for their opinions and demonstrates that the interrupter places their views over others. This behavior can be of great annoyance to group participants and listeners.
Talking Down to Others
Talking down to others is a behavior in which one speaks to another person with a condescending attitude. This can express itself in arrogant and patronizing tones or in the use of belittling words and phrases.
This behavior shows that the speaker thinks highly of themselves and shows disregard for the recipient of their communication.
Monopolizing Conversations
Monopolizing conversations is a behavior in which a person dominates a conversation by keeping the focus on themselves and not allowing others to participate.
Monopolizing conversations can involve talking for an extended period without pausing to give others a chance to speak or asking questions that move the conversation back to oneself. People who monopolize conversations come across as self-centered and not interested in other people’s views.
How to Deal with Self-Satisfaction Behaviors
Dealing with self-satisfaction behaviors can be challenging. Here are some tips that can help:.
Call them out on their behavior
One way to deal with self-satisfaction behaviors is to call the person out and let them know how their actions are affecting others. This should be done in a tactful way that does not escalate things to more noise or confrontations.
Chances are, they might not realize how others perceive their behavior and by calling them out, they can have a change of heart.
Show empathy
People often engage in self-satisfaction behaviors because they have low self-esteem or feel insecure. Showing empathy towards them can help them to feel appreciated and valued.
There are times, in some cases, where people may involuntarily resort back to their annoying behavior. So, in such cases, one can empathize and try to change the conversation in a way that interests the other party as well.
Remove yourself from the situation
If the self-satisfaction behavior becomes overwhelming, the best option might be to remove yourself from the situation. You may need to leave the area and take a break to get away from the person.
It should be done in the most polite manner possible to avoid causing more tension or affect the mood of the group.
Conclusion
Self-satisfaction behaviors can be irritating and cause friction among friends, colleagues, and family members. Understanding the psychology of the behavior can help to deal with it better.
By measuring the behavior of someone and understanding ways in which to deal with them, one can effectively navigate these scenarios without letting their attitude get the best of them.