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My third book, The Science of Sin, was published by Bloomsbury in 2020 (available in Arabic in 2025!) and looked at the seven deadly sins from the perspective of the latest neuroscience research.
Christianity has long considered the sin of pride to be a root cause of all of mankind’s most unpleasant behaviours, but modern psychology sees it slightly differently. It’s certainly a powerful emotion, one that can drive us to achieve great things on the one hand or lead us down the path of arrogance and hubris on the other. It’s a double edged sword, of sorts.
What is pride, really? Why did we humans evolve to have it in our emotional repertoire? It must surely have some utility, or it would never have been passed on though the generations. Unlike the basic emotions like happiness or sadness, which can occur in a social vacuum, pride is a “self-conscious” emotion. It involves reflecting on ourselves in respect of how others might perceive us. One form of pride can help us to improve our life satisfaction, while the other threatens to derail it.
We’ve all experienced that warm glow of satisfaction, but did it arise because you took satisfaction from having overcome difficulties and setbacks, or because the source of pride sets you apart from others? There are two distinct types of pride and in this month’s brain blog we’re going to elucidate the subtle but important differences between them:
- Hubristic Pride: This is the “look at me, aren’t I amazing!” kind of pride. It’s often associated with a sense of superiority, competitiveness and even aggression. Think of the athlete who taunts their opponent after winning or the colleague who constantly boasts about their achievements.
- Authentic Pride: This is the quiet satisfaction of a job well done. It’s rooted in personal achievement, growth, and mastery. Imagine the musician who perfects a challenging piece or the writer who finally finishes their novel after years of work.
Crafty
A great example of where authentic pride can flourish is in those who engage in crafts. Using our hands to skilfully manipulate tools in order to create useful or beautiful objects is something that takes much effort and dedication to do well. The first time we tackle a DIY project we will likely encounter challenges and, let’s face it, the occasional disaster. But if we are determined to improve and dust ourselves off to try again, undeterred by our early failures, we will inevitably get better and better until we can finally take pride in the outcome.
Beyond crafts and home improvements, these two types of pride play out in countless other areas of our lives:
- Career:
- Hubristic pride might manifest as a relentless pursuit of promotions and status, even at the expense of others. Narcissists are famously hubristic, even going so far as to take credit for the achievements of others.
- Authentic pride comes from mastering your craft, contributing meaningfully to your field, and finding satisfaction in your work. Authentic pride follows the logic or the idiom “the journey is the destination” – alluding to the satisfaction that can arise if you focus on the gradual improvements in how you perform your work as opposed to only ever focusing on the outcome.
- Relationships:
- Hubristic pride can lead to controlling or manipulative behaviour, as individuals seek to maintain a sense of dominance and power over others.
- Authentic pride in relationships involves valuing mutual respect, empathy and genuine connection, building the strength of the social connection through a series of reciprocal exchanges of favours which gradually build and cement trust.
- Personal Growth:
- Hubristic pride can hinder personal growth, as individuals become defensive and resistant to feedback. This form of pride is often overly sensitive and fickle, struggling to digest constructive feedback.
- Authentic pride fuels a desire for continuous learning, self-improvement, and resilience in the face of challenges. Criticism is not only accepted, but actively sought because an objective perspective can be so useful in isolating areas of weakness to help focus our energies.
- Hobbies and Passions:
- Hubristic pride might manifest in itself as an attitude in which the person only cares about winning at a sport, or being the best at a hobby. In the vast majority of cases this will lead to disappointment because there are always people out there somewhere who are better than us in a globally-connected world of social networking.
- Authentic pride shows it’s true colours when a person takes pleasure in the process of learning a new skill, like painting, playing an instrument or learning a new language. Focusing on the gradual improvement from one week to the next rather than how our own skills compare to those of others can boost feelings of self-efficacy, so important for delivering true satisfaction.
When We Practise a Craft: What’s Happening in Our Brains?
Our brains are wired to reward us for achieving goals. Authentic pride, in particular, triggers the release of feel-good chemicals that reinforce positive behaviours. One activity that is powerfully associated with authentic pride is practising a craft. A recent study by Shiraiwa et al (2020) found that when people are intensely engaged in a craft, a high frequency Theta waves are generated over the frontal lobes. Taking heart rate measurements at this time revealed that the practice of a craft is able to trigger a calm but focused state of mind characterised by:
- Elevated sympathetic tone – usually associated with preparation for action i.e. fight or flight.
- Elevated parasympathetic tone – usually associated with rest and relaxation.
The reason this is unexpected is because the two systems are typically antagonistic in the sense that when one system is activated the other is usually suppressed. So for both systems to be simultaneously activated suggests that quiet focus on a craft seems to be able to find the perfect balance between the two. No wonder we humans generally find participating in craft activities so engaging and satisfying.
Cultivating Authentic Pride: A Path to Fulfilment
So, how can we cultivate more authentic pride in our lives?
- Focus on the process, not just the outcome: Celebrate the effort and dedication you put into your endeavours.
- Embrace challenges: View setbacks as opportunities for growth and learning.
- Practice self-compassion: Celebrate your accomplishments when they arise, rather than just pushing on with the next task, and be kind to yourself in the meantime.
- Seek intrinsic motivation: Find activities that you genuinely enjoy doing, irrespective of the outcome. For instance, it is perfectly possible to enjoy the process of creating art over long periods of time, even if the end product ends up going straight in the bin.
I personally enjoy stone sculpting despite the fact that it takes me months to create anything and the end product is far from impressive!
The Dangers of Hubristic Pride
While a healthy dose of pride can be motivating, hubristic pride can have negative consequences.
- It can damage relationships and create conflict.
- It can lead to arrogance and a lack of empathy.
- It can create a fragile sense of self-worth that depends on external validation.
Conclusion: Finding Balance and Meaning
Pride is a complex emotion that can be a powerful force for good or ill. By understanding the difference between authentic and hubristic pride, we can cultivate a healthier relationship with ourselves and others. Authentic pride, rooted in personal growth and mastery, leads to lasting fulfilment and a deeper sense of purpose. It is also an incredibly useful attitude / mindset to adopt because learning new skills is so important in a modern world that changes so fast.
In addition to monthly brain blogs I’m also active on the social media platform formally known as Twitter (www.x.com/drjacklewis), Instagram (www.instagram.com/drjacklewis_neuro) and LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/in/drjacklewis)
