Mark Richard Leary (born November 29, 1954) is a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Duke University (Durham, North Carolina).
[4] Leary's research has spanned the topics of the self and identity (social science), self-esteem, interpersonal motivation and emotion, need to belong, and self-compassion.
While there are clear benefits to the human ability to distinguish oneself from others and reflect upon past experiences, Leary and his colleagues have revealed many disadvantages as well.
The inability to do so, or the breakdown of existing bonds, can have a negative, long-term effect on an individual, including problems with their psychological and physical health, as well as overall well-being.
[10] These bonds form in a variety of relationships anyone,[10] not just between a person and a leader or authority figure, such as proposed by the attachment theory of John Bowlby.
[12] Leary and his colleagues have shown many mental health benefits to be related to self-compassion, including lower levels of depression, neuroticism, dissatisfaction with life, and social withdrawal.
The positive affects derived from self-compassion result in a decrease in negative reactions in the face of unfortunate events, including failure and rejection.