"I was recently reading an article 1 on the science of kindness that emphasized how acts of kindness (doing them and witnessing them) produce measurable neurochemical and physiological effects. Being kind or experiencing kindness triggers a biological "safe zone" that includes bonding, reward, lowered threat, and lowered physiological arousal. That zone is comfortable and reinforces prosocial behavior. Within a day of reading that article, I got a call from a colleague who had received a sharp, critical email from another colleague."
"Why critical feedback trips our biology We are hard-wired to respond to threat or danger (via the amygdala-HPA axis) and also wired to respond to connection and kindness. 2 The amygdala-HPA axis is basically the body's alarm system. When your brain thinks something might be dangerous (physically or psychologically), it sends signals that tell your body to release stress hormones so you ca"
Feedback triggers neurochemical and physiological responses that shape recipients' reactions. Acts of kindness create a biological safe zone marked by bonding, reward, reduced threat perception, and lower physiological arousal, which reinforces prosocial behavior. Critical feedback can activate threat circuitry, particularly the amygdala-HPA axis, which functions as an alarm and prompts stress-hormone release when danger is perceived. Many feedback reactions occur automatically and below conscious awareness. Leaders who understand these biological mechanisms can deliver feedback in ways that lower perceived threat, enhance connection, and frame feedback as caring rather than confrontational.
Read at Psychology Today
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