What Is Emotional Validation?

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Everybody likes feeling validated, but too much agreement can make us worse off.

This issue is becoming more pressing with AI “sycophancy,” an excessive form of agreement seen in chatbots.

The solution is finding friends, therapists, and AI tools that help us think flexibly.

If you’ve ever vented to friends about something aggravating that your partner is doing, or an issue you’re having with a coworker, your friends may immediately take your side: “I can’t believe they’d do that!” or “That’s sooo annoying.” We often turn to our friends for this type of support, and doing so can make us feel connected and seen. While validation is important, there’s a difference between validating feelings and being told that our viewpoint is right. When validation turns into just being told we’re right, it can get us stuck in our views and less likely to resolve conflict effectively.

For example, if you tell your friend that your child never listens to you, and your friend just sympathizes with how annoying that is,........

© Psychology Today