Woman’s Social Experiment Reveals How Men React When Women Accept Their Compliments

Ugh the comments here lool. Well I did it all my life, whenever someone comments with "You're smart huh?" I say "Well yes, otherwise you wouldn't talk to me, would you?" I simply question their intelligence :) It's different when it comes to looks though. Men who are afraid of woman that recognize their beauty aren't interesting to me anyway. So when a guy tells me "Your hair/face/legs/eyes/whatever is/are pretty" I usually reply with "Thanks" ... usually you get three different reactions .. 1) almost none 2) wow you're narcissistic/cocky/full of yourself OR 3) Wow finally a woman that does't have confidence issues. And the last guy is the only interesting one, at least to me ( I don't generalize) because he can deal with a personality that doesn't need to be fake-humble or fishes for compliments with "Oh I'm so fat/ugly/whatever" just for people to say "NOOO you're not". My 2 cents about that :)

Meanwhile, in Korea, regardless of gender and the kind of compliment, it is considered good manners to deny the compliment and act humble. But a "thanks" won't be so bad either.

On the other hand...if I told a guy he looked nice and he replied with "I know" or "thanks, don't I" . I'd think he was conceited. If I was on a date and I said to his guy "You have a nice body, you're in great shape" and he replied with "I like it too". I'd be all...wtf...this guy...wow! I'd think he either was on drugs or had a social disorder. I'd still be talking about that years later to my friends.

guy: you are beautiful! me: thanks! I know :) guy: oh? You know?? *laugh* me: yes, I know, I have a mirror *guy just laughed, as he didn't know what else to say. Am I not allowed to like how I look or what? Anyway, what other reaction than "thank you" does people expect?

Maybe it's because, regardless of your gender, when someone compliments you, you should just accept it with a thank you. saying things like "I know" just make you sound arrogant and like you have no appreciation for the fact someone was trying to be nice to you and give you a compliment.

Gotta say, the way a compliment is given typically determines how I respond. If a person is genuine and nice, I respond humbly and kindly.

I think this is obnoxious, I mean sure if a guy gives a rude compliment go for it. But Generally when people regardless of gender give you a nice compliment it's kind of rude and condescending to say 'yeah I know' or things like that. Like the other day I had a male grocery store employee compliment my shoes and I said thank you and gave a little smile because it was a nice thing to say. Why would I go out of my way to be unpleasant to them about it?

The reactions seem both weird and strange. But imo it has nothing to do with genders and compliments... the common and polite social manner for all is to answer a phrase of interest from someone with a minimum interest to him/her: I don't think you would answer a "How are you today?" with a "I'm feeling great and I know it!", you would answer smthng like "I'm great, thanks, and how are you?". So maybe the lack of politeness/return-of-interest is what triggers the stupid reactions, not the acceptance/no-humbleness... and has nothing to do with men vs women.

This comment has been deleted.

Only two screenshots as a proof of your "social experiment"? Seriously?

I have Asperger's. When I was a kid in the country, I had very short hair, went shirtless in the summer, and had 90% of my elementary classmates convinced I was the boy named Sue. I only ever got compliments about my athletic skills (thanks to my older brother) or my brains. I used the scripted response my tv/theater actor/director father taught me, "Yeah, Thanks!" After I did the ugly duckling transformation I kept using the same line, now married for 28 years.

You are a stupid "feminist", don't worry many more "feminist" act like you. You disgrace the title Feminist. Your making all men sound like aggressive animals.

This is very interesting but my inner scepticist asks immediately: how do you know it's a man-woman thing and not a general attitude towards compliments? Maybe it proves that we often confuse confidence with arrogance as a society. Is it really SIGNIFICANTLY different when it's two girls or two guys, or girl is the one who says the compliment?

(not all me of course) is that the get out clause to cover your bigotry? Kinda like 'not all play people of course'. I'm so tired of being blamed by feminists for crimes I didn't commit because I was born whit a penis. Isn't it time we started judging people as individuals rather than by race/religion/gender?

What kind of men are these?

So many cherries picked to carefully craft this narrative. Feminista indeed.

I had this guy block my way twice in his car, then when I finally had to stop he rolled down his window and told me he just had to tell me I was attractive. I just stared at him, and he was literally taken aback when I didn’t instantly gush and say thank you. He was too stupid to notice that I didn’t appreciate being stalked, so then he asked for my number. Told him no, and then walked around his car to get away. If you say thank you, there is 50/50 chance it could go either way. If he is not prepared for either response he should keep his mouth shut. It’s telling that the people who are most upset didn’t consider that she may have gotten the responses first then concluded that in responding in such a way, ticks off men.

I literally have never seen this. And I don't get why this would be an issue if someone were to accept my compliment. I would be very positive about it.

the frame of mind here is astonishing. Do you not see how this makes you look like the biggest b***h in the world. You are so vein and self centered that you think every compliment is a cat call. that every compliment was intended to bother you rather than be a nice gesture. you are whats wrong with this world. most of these lack of responses are men being surprised about how f*****g conceded you are. I seriously hope no one ever says anything nice to you again.

It’s not only with women … and not only with men … 30 years ago I was in a seminar with a “psycho shaman” where one of the assignments was to react to compliments exactly this way, e.g. by saying, “thanks, I know” :-D Most people are p!ssed off by this because we were all taught that this is “immodest” and “boasting”, etc., while it actually simply is knowing—and appreciating—one’s abilities and positive features.

I love honesty, I apologise for my gender reacting this way. I'd love it if people responded to compliments like this x

I don't know about other guys, I only compliment people when I genuinely feel that way and it strikes me as odd that 'thank you' could be offensive. Personally, when someone says thank you I take that as a success and I just smile happily. I don't get the boys of today, but then again, I guess I don't mingle with the loathsome sort either.

and they say that women are hard to understand

I've got to be honest, I RARELY get this response from men. They mostly giggle or compliment me again by calling me confident. Or they'll snap their fingers in a silly way and say something corny like, "Go girl." Guys are usually pretty easy going either way.

The Auther doenst understand how compliments work, thats the Problem. Witch doesn't make the reactions any better by the way. If you recive a compliment you acknolage its recival and the joy your feeling by getting it, the other tells you that he noticed something positive that he likes about you. THats why the normal Form to answer is Thank you. You thank for the compliment and the acknoledgment of the other person, Not for the stated fact. If you now also tell them that you are aware of that fact and that it is positive it means you are opening up a different issue. The other person doesn't asume that you didn't know that, its not ment as some kind of self esteem boost, it means the other one has noticed your efforts or given gifts. Telling him that you know and that you are aware means you tell him that the attention he was paying was unnecessary or even kind of unwelcomed. Works for men and women and the other way round too, telling the other that hes not right in his assesment.

Lots of sweeping generalizations in this article and the comments. Politeness is the lubricant of a civilized society. It's a pity that so many are unable to accept a compliment with grace and dignity. It can be done with confidence yet without coming off as arrogant...and that goes for both sexes. It's also a pity that some feel the need to turn a compliment into a personal challenge or a battle of the sexes.