Hypercriticism

Hypercriticism refers to an excessive or overly harsh form of criticism. It goes beyond constructive feedback and often focuses on minor or insignificant flaws while overlooking positive aspects. It can manifest as nitpicking, fault-finding, and a generally negative or censorious attitude. hypercriticism is often unproductive and can be demoralizing to the recipient, hindering improvement rather than fostering it. It frequently stems from perfectionism, insecurity, or a desire to assert dominance. The practice is characterized by a lack of empathy and a disproportionate emphasis on identifying what is wrong, sometimes even inventing faults where none truly exist.

Hypercriticism meaning with examples

• The manager's hypercriticism of the presentation, dwelling on font choices and minor formatting errors, completely overshadowed the well-researched data and innovative solutions it contained, leaving the team feeling deflated.
• Her writing group dissolved because of the constant hypercriticism directed at each other's work; instead of encouragement, every workshop became an excruciating exercise in finding fault, stifling any creative flow.
• Despite achieving record sales, the CEO's hypercriticism of the marketing team's campaign, highlighting a minor dip in engagement on one platform, created an atmosphere of constant fear and anxiety.
• Instead of celebrating their daughter's graduation, the parents engaged in hypercriticism of her career choice, questioning its viability and potential for financial success, ruining the joyous occasion.