For any number of reasons, your manager does not recognize that you would like more recognition. Perhaps he believes that your fellow employees need regular coddling to keep their spirits and motivation up, while you do not require such regular reinforcement. On the other hand, he might not believe that your work is equal to that of your peers, and, as a result, is not as praiseworthy. Or, perhaps he is not highly aware of your performance level.
Since the idea of sitting down with your manager and asking for more thanks is not exactly appealing, there are a couple of other strategies to consider. While you do not receive much praise from him, the next time that he gives you some, whether on an informal or formal basis, let him know how much you appreciate this kind of feedback. In a word, give him some positive reinforcement for providing positive reinforcement to you, as this will increase the chances that he will repeat this behavior.
If you believe that he is not as aware of your accomplishments as he should be, you may also need to provide more publicity for yourself. After all, if you do not speak up for your accomplishments, who will? And, finally, be sure to honestly assess your own performance, since the reason for inadequate recognition could be inadequate work.
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