Gratitude
As the field of positive psychology has grown, so has research into the emotion of gratitude as a path to happiness. Yet, again, there is a lack of agreement among researchers as the definition of gratitude and the very nature of the construct. Gratitude, behaviorally, is identified as both a dispositional trait (the tendency for a person to feel gratitude and be more likely to express it) and as a personal emotional state (the emotional experience of feeling grateful) (Watkins, 2004). Wood, Froh, & Geraghty (2010) define the dispositional trait of gratitude as “part of a wider life orientation towards noticing and appreciating the positive in the world” (pg. 891). In the November, 2011 edition of the Harvard Health Newsletter, gratitude is defined as a “thankful appreciation for what an individual receives, whether tangible or intangible.”
In a Gallup poll, 95% of the recipients stated that expressing gratitude made them feel at least somewhat happy; 50% said it made them extremely happy (Watkins, 2004). Gratitude has been positively associated with many positive outcomes for the person feeling grateful (e.g., Emmons and McCullough, 2003; Watkins, Van Gelder, & Frias, 2009; Wood, Froh, & Geraghty, 2010). Gratitude has been suggested to be an evolutionary adaptation to help human establish and sustain relationships (Algoe, Fredrickson & Gable, 2013; McCullough, Kimeldorf & Cohen, 2008). This important emotion has been shown to increase positive affect in those who feel and express it. A study involving pre-service teachers found that when the teachers expressed gratitude during the day they reported experiencing improved relationships, higher levels of well-being, and higher levels of teaching effectiveness (Howells & Cumming). Gratitude may also encourage others to exhibit prosocial behavior by enabling those who help them to feel valued. “Psychologists have argued that the pursuit of social worth – a sense of being valued by others – is a fundamental human motivation” (Grant & Gino, 2010, p. 947).
In a Gallup poll, 95% of the recipients stated that expressing gratitude made them feel at least somewhat happy; 50% said it made them extremely happy (Watkins, 2004). Gratitude has been positively associated with many positive outcomes for the person feeling grateful (e.g., Emmons and McCullough, 2003; Watkins, Van Gelder, & Frias, 2009; Wood, Froh, & Geraghty, 2010). Gratitude has been suggested to be an evolutionary adaptation to help human establish and sustain relationships (Algoe, Fredrickson & Gable, 2013; McCullough, Kimeldorf & Cohen, 2008). This important emotion has been shown to increase positive affect in those who feel and express it. A study involving pre-service teachers found that when the teachers expressed gratitude during the day they reported experiencing improved relationships, higher levels of well-being, and higher levels of teaching effectiveness (Howells & Cumming). Gratitude may also encourage others to exhibit prosocial behavior by enabling those who help them to feel valued. “Psychologists have argued that the pursuit of social worth – a sense of being valued by others – is a fundamental human motivation” (Grant & Gino, 2010, p. 947).