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“Just won GQ style award in Germany. Obviously they made a mistake. I wonder how long till they come take it back.”
If this tweet by actor Jared Leto sets your teeth on edge, you’re not alone. A study has revealed that feigning modesty while boasting – a practice known as “humblebragging” – annoys people even more than outright self-promotion.
Humblebragging comes in two forms, says Ovul Sezer at the University of North Carolina. It can be expressed as a display of humility, like: “I’m so shocked my new book is a bestseller”, or a complaint, like: “I’ve got nothing to wear after losing so much weight”.
Both types are disliked more than outright bragging and are less likely to elicit help or financial generosity from others, according to a series of experiments run by Sezer and her team.
Just won GQ style award