2. Learning in the Early Years
When we are children, we learn that approval equals love and safety or security. Typically, parents affirm correct or "good" behavior with praise and discouragement or disapproval with "bad" behavior or punishment. We slowly learn to see approval, encouragement, and validation as a meant understood or as an indicator of "worth".
3. Modern World & Social Media
This is complicated and exacerbated by today's society and culture. In the wit this right now and time, "likes" "comments" "shares" provide immediate validation and dopamine hits and rewards for it, making it a habitual response. Furthermore, the longer we use approval and validation from social media and other external factors, the more difficult self validation becomes or is.