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Attention seeking behavior is to act in a way that is likely to elicit attention. Attention seeking behavior is defined in the DSM-5 as "engaging in behavior designed to attract notice and to make oneself the focus of others’ attention and admiration". This definition does not ascribe a motivation to the behavior and assumes a human actor, although the term "attention seeking" sometimes also assumes a motive of seeking validation. People are thought to engage in both positive and negative attention seeking behavior independent of the actual benefit or harm to health. Motivations for attention seeking are considered to be driven by self-consciousness and thus an externalization of personality rather than internal and self-motivated behavior. This type of influence on behavior can result in a potential loss of a person's
sense of agency The sense of agency (SA), or sense of control, is the subjective awareness of initiating, executing, and controlling one's own volitional actions in the world.Jeannerod, M. (2003). The mechanism of self-recognition in human. Behavioural Brain Re ...
, personality disorder and the behavior associated with these conditions. Enjoying the attention of others is socially acceptable in some situations. However, an excessive need for attention can lead to difficulties in
interpersonal relationship The concept of interpersonal relationship involves social associations, connections, or affiliations between two or more people. Interpersonal relationships vary in their degree of intimacy or self-disclosure, but also in their duration, in t ...
s. However, as a tactical method, it is often used in combat, theatre (upstaging) and it is fundamental to marketing. One strategy used to counter various types of attention-seeking behavior is tactical ignoring.


Causes

The causes of attention seeking behavior are varied. Risk factors leading to attention seeking behavior include loneliness, jealousy, low self-esteem, narcissism and self-pity. A desire for validation is theorised as a motivation for attention seeking behavior. , no studies have evaluated the prevalence of attention seeking behavior in the general population. Repeated attention seeking behavior is a symptom of multiple
personality disorder Personality disorders (PD) are a class of mental disorders characterized by enduring maladaptive patterns of behavior, cognition, and inner experience, exhibited across many contexts and deviating from those accepted by the individual's cultur ...
s, including
narcissistic personality disorder Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) is a personality disorder characterized by a life-long pattern of exaggerated feelings of self-importance, an excessive need for admiration, a diminished ability or unwillingness to empathize with other ...
,
histrionic personality disorder Histrionic personality disorder (HPD) is defined by the American Psychiatric Association as a personality disorder characterized by a pattern of excessive attention-seeking behaviors, usually beginning in early childhood, including inappropriate ...
. However, for borderline personality disorder, attention seeking is more often used as a stigmatising label than as an accurate clinical description. Attention seeking may have similar presentations to ADHD although they are distinguishable by motivations of impulsivity or hyperactivity. Psychoanalytic theory posits that
narcissism Narcissism is a self-centered personality style characterized as having an excessive interest in one's physical appearance or image and an excessive preoccupation with one's own needs, often at the expense of others. Narcissism exists on a co ...
is related to attention seeking behavior. In the theory, an excessive need for attention or admiration is termed
narcissistic supply In psychoanalytic theory, narcissistic supply is a pathological or excessive need for attention or admiration from codependents, or such a need in the orally fixated, that does not take into account the feelings, opinions or preferences of othe ...
.


Stigma and criticism

The term "attention seeking" has been the subject of criticism for its usage as a pejorative term to achieve
victim blaming Victim blaming occurs when the victim of a crime or any wrongful act is held entirely or partially at fault for the harm that befell them. There is historical and current prejudice against the victims of domestic violence and sex crimes, such as t ...
, especially in the context of borderline personality disorder and self harming behaviors. As an example, individuals who self-harm frequently
self-conscious Self-consciousness is a heightened sense of awareness of oneself. It is not to be confused with consciousness in the sense of qualia. Historically, "self-consciousness" was synonymous with "self-awareness", referring to a state of awareness that o ...
of their wounds and scars and feel guilty about their behavior, often associated with behavior to conceal self harm. According to a 2005 survey of 133 books containing the term, the term is often used with either no definition or a poor definition, no empirical studies specifically about attention seeking behavior were found, and there existed widespread academic disagreement on the causes and implications of attention seeking. The use of stigmatising language such as "attention seeking" is of particular prevalence in medical settings, although student exposure to psychiatric environments has shown evidence to reduce bias and stigma towards individuals with mental disorders.


Research

There exists research on the relationship between social media usage and attention seeking behavior, among other personality traits in the
Big Five personality traits The Big Five personality traits is a suggested taxonomy, or grouping, for personality traits, developed from the 1980s onward in psychological trait theory. Starting in the 1990s, the theory identified five factors by labels, for the US English ...
in a variety of demographics. In a 2013 study of Facebook users, it was found that
agreeableness Agreeableness is a personality trait manifesting itself in individual behavioral characteristics that are perceived as kind, sympathetic, cooperative, warm, and considerate. In contemporary personality psychology, agreeableness is one of the five ...
and
conscientiousness Conscientiousness is the personality trait of being careful, or diligent. Conscientiousness implies a desire to do a task well, and to take obligations to others seriously. Conscientious people tend to be efficient and organized as opposed to ...
were negatively correlated with attention seeking tendencies. A 2014 study found evidence suggesting that in the presence of the personality traits of
histrionic personality disorder Histrionic personality disorder (HPD) is defined by the American Psychiatric Association as a personality disorder characterized by a pattern of excessive attention-seeking behaviors, usually beginning in early childhood, including inappropriate ...
, social media reinforces attention seeking behavior in the form of vaguebooking, which is posting intentionally vague messages to elicit requests for detail.
Internet troll In slang, a troll is a person who posts or makes inflammatory, insincere, digressive, extraneous, or off-topic messages online (such as in social media, a newsgroup, a forum, a chat room, a online video game), or in real life, with the in ...
s in social media also tend to exhibit attention seeking behavior. A 2016 study found evidence suggesting that individuals with attention seeking tendencies can benefit from the usage of social media to compensate for a lack of attention in other interpersonal areas, although this conclusion is not entirely consistent with similar studies. A 2021 study found that experiencing phubbing by others (a form of being ignored by others) was positively correlated with attention seeking behavior, and the effect was larger in men, although narcissism was considered as an alternate explanation. A similar 2019 study found evidence correlating narcissism with attention seeking behavior.


Tactical Ignoring

Tactical ignoring is a behavioral management strategy, used to combat attention seeking behaviors, where a person gives no outward sign of recognizing a behavior, such as no eye contact, no verbal response and no physical response to the person seeking attention. However, they are very aware of the behavior and monitor the individual to ensure their safety and the safety of others that are potentially involved. The desired
consequence Consequence may refer to: * Logical consequence, also known as a ''consequence relation'', or ''entailment'' * In operant conditioning, a result of some behavior * Consequentialism, a theory in philosophy in which the morality of an act is determi ...
of attention-seeking behavior is receiving attention in some form (positive or negative) from another person. Tactical ignoring is a technique that is often employed in the hopes that when an attention-seeking behavior no longer attracts attention, it may eventually cease. It is most frequently used in the behavioral training of children, but is suitable for changing or shunning adult behavior as well.


See also

* Münchausen syndrome *
Personality disorder Personality disorders (PD) are a class of mental disorders characterized by enduring maladaptive patterns of behavior, cognition, and inner experience, exhibited across many contexts and deviating from those accepted by the individual's cultur ...
s – A sustained pattern of attention seeking in adults is associated with
histrionic personality disorder Histrionic personality disorder (HPD) is defined by the American Psychiatric Association as a personality disorder characterized by a pattern of excessive attention-seeking behaviors, usually beginning in early childhood, including inappropriate ...
, borderline personality disorder and
narcissistic personality disorder Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) is a personality disorder characterized by a life-long pattern of exaggerated feelings of self-importance, an excessive need for admiration, a diminished ability or unwillingness to empathize with other ...
. *
Self-destructive behavior Self-destructive behavior is any behavior that is harmful or potentially harmful towards the person who engages in the behavior. Self-destructive behaviors have been shown by many people throughout the years. It is on a continuum, with one extr ...
– It is a common misconception that self-destructive behavior is inherently attention seeking, or at least that attention is a primary motive. *
Coping (psychology) Coping refers to conscious strategies used to reduce unpleasant emotions. Coping strategies can be cognitions or behaviours and can be individual or social. Theories of coping Hundreds of coping strategies have been proposed in an attempt to ...
* Sadfishing *
Sensation seeking Sensation seeking is a personality trait defined by the search for experiences and feelings, that are "varied, novel, complex and intense", and by the readiness to "take physical, social, legal, and financial risks for the sake of such experiences ...


References


Further reading

* Gewirtz, Jacob L ''Three determinants of attention-seeking in young children'' (1956) * Gewirtz, Jacob L ''A factor analysis of some attention-seeking behaviors of young children'' Child Development (1956) * Harvey, Eric & Mellor, Nigel ''Helping Parents Deal With Attention Seeking Behaviour'' (2009) * Leit, Lisa & Jacobvitz, Deborah & Hazen-Swann, Nancy '' Conversational Narcissism in Marriage: Narcissistic attention seeking behaviors in face-to-face interactions: Implications for marital stability and partner mental health'' (2008) * Mellor, Nigel ''Attention Seeking: A Practical Solution for the Classroom'' (1997) * Mellor, Nigel ''The Good, the Bad and the Irritating: A Practical Approach for Parents of Children who are Attention Seeking'' (2000) * Mellor, Nigel ''Attention Seeking: A Complete Guide for Teachers'' (2008) * Smith-Martenz, Arden ''Attention-seeking misbehaviors'' (1990)


External links


Hysteria, Drama Majors and Drama Queens


{{Authority control Parenting Childhood Human behavior