Fawning

Fawning is a pattern of behavior characterized by excessive flattery, submissiveness, and eagerness to please another person, often with the aim of gaining approval, protection, or favorable treatment. It differs from ordinary politeness in its intensity, strategic aim, and persistent effort to appease an authority or potential threat.

In interpersonal contexts, fawning can occur in romantic relationships, workplaces, or family dynamics, especially where power imbalances or past harm exist. In psychology and trauma theory, fawning is described as a coping strategy to defuse danger by aligning with a more powerful other, sometimes by mirroring concerns and suppressing one’s own needs. It can arise from early attachment experiences and may be reinforced by patterns of reward and fear in relationships. In politics and media, fawning can describe acts of deference or flattery toward influential figures or institutions.

Effects and signs: While it may provide short-term safety, chronic fawning can erode self-esteem and autonomy, obscure boundaries, and enable abuse or manipulation. Common signs include excessive praise, agreement with little critical thought, mirroring behavior, reluctance to disagree, and prioritizing another’s comfort over one’s own needs. The behavior is distinct from genuine admiration, as it is typically instrumental and repetitive rather than authentic.

Related concepts include sycophancy and people-pleasing, and it is sometimes discussed in the context of trauma responses or coercive dynamics within relationships.