Superficial charm (or insincere charm) refers to the
social act of saying or doing things because they are well received by others, rather than what one actually believes or wants to do. It is sometimes referred to as "telling people what they want to hear".
Superficial charm is a generally effective way to
ingratiate
Ingratiating is a psychological technique in which an individual attempts to influence another person by becoming more likeable to their target. This term was coined by social psychologist Edward E. Jones, who further defined ingratiating as "a cla ...
or
persuade and it is one of the many elements of
impression management/self-presention.
[Sanaria, A. D. (2016). A conceptual framework for understanding the impression management strategies used by women in indian organizations. South Asian Journal of Human Resources Management, 3(1), 25-39. https://doi.org/10.1177/2322093716631118 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/299373178_A_Conceptual_Framework_for_Understanding_the_Impression_Management_Strategies_Used_by_Women_in_Indian_Organizations]
Flattery
Flattery (also called adulation or blandishment) is the act of giving excessive compliments, generally for the purpose of ingratiating oneself with the subject. It is also used in pick-up lines when attempting to initiate sexual or romantic cou ...
and
charm accompanied by obvious ulterior motives is generally not socially appreciated, and most people consider themselves to be skilled at distinguishing sincere compliments from
superficial,
however, researchers have demonstrated that even obviously manipulative charm can be effective.
While expressed attitudes are negative or dismissive, implicit attitudes are often positively affected.
The effectiveness of charm and flattery, in general, stems from the recipient’s natural desire to feel good about one's self.
Superficial charm can be self damaging. The ability to be superficially charming often leads to success in areas like the theatre, salesmanship, or politics and diplomacy. In excess, being adept in
social intelligence and endlessly taking social cues from other people, can lead to the sacrificing of one's motivations and sense of self.
Superficial charm can be exploitative. Individuals with
antisocial personality disorder, for example, are known to have limited guilt or anxiety when it comes to exploiting others in harmful ways. While intimidation and violence are common means of exploitation, the use of superficial charm is not uncommon.
Superficial charm is listed on the
Hare Psychopathy Checklist.
References
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Human behavior
Persuasion techniques
Conformity