Recognition (sociology)

{{Short description|Public acknowledgment of person's status or merits}}

Recognition in sociology is the public acknowledgment of a person's status or merits (achievements, virtues, service, etc.).{{Cite web|url=https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/recognition|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160925074628/https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/recognition|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 25, 2016|title=recognition {{!}} Definition of recognition in English by Oxford Dictionaries|website=Oxford Dictionaries {{!}} English|access-date=2019-02-21}}

In psychology, excessively seeking for recognition is regarded as one of the defining traits of a narcissistic personality disorder.{{Cite web |title=Narcissistic personality disorder - Symptoms and causes |url=https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/narcissistic-personality-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20366662 |access-date=2022-05-15 |website=Mayo Clinic |language=en}}

Another example of recognition is when some person is accorded some special status, such as title or classification.{{Cite web |title=Definition of RECOGNITION |url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/recognition |access-date=2022-05-15 |website=www.merriam-webster.com |language=en}}

According to Charles Taylor, recognition of one's identity is both a fundamental need and a right, and non- or misrecognition is a form of oppression.{{cite journal |last1=Taylor |first1=Charles |title=The politics of recognition |date=1992}}

In the workplace, recognition has been suggested to increase employee engagement, continuous improvement behaviour, trust in the organization, intention to stay, and satisfaction with management.{{Cite web|url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28204980-forever-recognize-others-greatness|title=Forever Recognize Others' Greatness|website=www.goodreads.com|access-date=2019-05-31}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.cphrmb.ca/news/367230/HRmatters---online-Recognition-is-Not-Fluffy-Stuff-Why-Acknowledging-Y.htm|title=Recognition is Not Fluffy Stuff: Why Acknowledging Your People is Good for Business - CPHR Manitoba|website=www.cphrmb.ca|access-date=2019-05-31}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/dailymuse/2013/03/19/the-secret-to-motivating-your-team/|title=The Secret to Motivating Your Team|website=Forbes|language=en|access-date=2019-02-21}} Others, like Alfie Kohn in Punished by Rewards, point out the dangers of using praise to show recognition, since it may induce compliance in the short-term, but negatively impact quality in the workplace long-term.{{cite book |last1=Kohn |first1=Alfie |title=Punished by rewards |date=1993 |publisher=Houghton Mifflin Co. |isbn=978-0-618-00181-1 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/punishedbyreward00kohn_0/page/40 41], [https://archive.org/details/punishedbyreward00kohn_0/page/96 96] |author-link=Alfie Kohn |url=https://archive.org/details/punishedbyreward00kohn_0/page/40}}