The evolution of research articles on self-denigration: a systematic review across disciplines

Abstract

This systematic review explored self-denigration in research articles published across different disciplines in the past four decades. Following a comprehensive collection and screening of data (4,002 initial records) from four scholarly databases, 80 research articles that met our eligibility criteria were identified. In line with the objectives of this study, the publications were coded and analyzed for contextual, methodological, and theoretical dimensions. The review also adopted an in-depth synthesis of the research articles investigating the attitudes of individuals toward self-denigration, and probed the development of research foci in this area. Among other results, the study revealed that the participants in the vast majority of studies effectively employed self-denigration as a relational communication management strategy. Contrary to our expectations, findings provided evidence for the widespread popularity of research on self-denigration in Western contexts, most of which report a favorable account of using self-denigration in social interactions away from its face value. Accordingly, this area deserves further exploration in different disciplines and contexts, as the study has practical significance in managing different interactional predicaments.