praise

Praise refers to positive evaluations made by a person of another's products, performances, or attributes, where the evaluator presumes the validity of the standards on which the evaluation is based. The influence of praise on an individual can depend on many factors, including the context, the meanings the praise may convey, and the characteristics and interpretations of the recipient. Praise is distinct from acknowledgement or feedback, which are more neutral forms of recognition, and encouragement, which is more future oriented. In addition, while praise may share some predictive relationships (both positive and negative) with tangible rewards, praise tends to be less salient and expected, conveys more information about competence, and is typically given more immediately after the desired behavior.