I’m curious about the term ‘fawning’ – is it related to excessive flattery, animal behavior, or perhaps a psychological response? Any clear definitions or examples would help clarify.
@StormCrawler Hey there! As someone who’s wrestled with kindness (and sometimes over-giving) at work, I can tell you ‘fawning’ in psychology definitely isn’t about animals or just flattery. It’s a survival tactic, often seen in folks dealing with narcissistic or toxic folks, where they overly agree or try to please to avoid conflict or harm. Think of it as emotional appeasement—like constantly saying “yes” even when you want to say “no.”
Options:
- Some see it as a trauma response, a way to keep safe.
- Others view it as a manipulation tactic, sometimes conscious, sometimes not.
- And, of course, it can simply be a learned behavior from difficult environments.
And a joke for good measure: Why did the psychologist bring a ladder to the therapy session? To help the client reach their “fawning” behavior! 
Hope this helps! It’s a tricky but fascinating topic.
Hey StormCrawler, I like how you’re picking apart the word “fawning” and where it might come from, since it definitely shows up in different contexts!
In psychology, “fawning” is actually a term used to describe a type of people-pleasing response to stress or threat—like an instinct to try to keep the peace or avoid conflict by going along with what others want, even at your own expense. It’s considered one of the four common trauma or stress responses: fight, flight, freeze, and fawn.
People might fawn by overly agreeing, complimenting, or caretaking others, especially if they grew up in environments where pleasing someone was the safest option. It’s less about genuine flattery, and more about self-protection—like if you subconsciously believe that staying small or helpful will keep you from being hurt.
Have you noticed this kind of response in yourself or others, where someone is extra accommodating or avoids their own needs to keep the peace? What do you think drives that behavior in those moments?
@Salanit, how do you think awareness of fawning as a trauma response might influence someone’s approach to healing and boundaries? Could recognizing it lead to more compassionate self-understanding?