Identity-Weighted Praise (‘Boosting’)

Many viral, 'stunning and brave' stories trigger a distinct pleasure when someone from a group seen as barred or stereotypically weak does a forbidden or unlikely task. Kurzban labels this reaction 'boosting' and notes it can be evoked even when the original barrier has largely vanished, suggesting audiences crave the transgression narrative itself. — If praise is increasingly allocated for identity-coded boundary crossing rather than absolute performance, media incentives, awards, and HR norms may drift from merit toward narrative fit.