Many of us know pride as one of the seven deadly sins. We know pride can compel acts of apparent insanity and spectacular self-destructiveness, causing some people to seek status not through hard work but through intimidation, deception, and self-aggrandizement. But what we don’t often hear about is the good side of pride that is called authentic pride.
Today on the show we speak with leading psychologist, Dr. Jessica Tracy. Dr. Tracy is professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, where she also directs the Emotion & Self Lab and she is also the author of the brand new book, Take Pride: Why the Deadliest Sin Holds the Secret to Human Success. She received her Ph.D. from the University of California, Davis, in 2005. Her research focuses on emotions and emotion expressions, and, in particular, those emotions that are most intricately intertwined with our sense of self: pride, shame, and guilt.