Gratitude
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Gratitude, thankfulness, or gratefulness is a feeling of appreciation (or similar positive response) by a recipient of another's kindness. This kindness can be gifts, help, favors, or another form of generosity to another person.
The word comes from the Latin word {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}, which means "pleasing" or "thankful".<ref>Template:Citation</ref> The absence of gratitude where gratitude is expected is called ingratitude<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> or ungratefulness.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Gratitude has been a part of several world religions.<ref name="ReferenceB">Template:Cite journal</ref> It also has been a topic of interest to ancient, medieval, and modern philosophers.<ref name=manela>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The discipline of psychology attempts to understand the short term experience of gratitude (state gratitude), individual differences in how frequently gratitude is felt (trait gratitude), the relationship between these two, and the therapeutic benefits of gratitude.<ref>Template:Multiref2</ref>
Philosophical approachesEdit
Gratitude is a topic of interest in the philosophical disciplines of normative ethics, applied ethics, and political philosophy, as well as in the field of moral psychology.<ref name=manela />
A. D. M. Walker suggests, contrary to views that only characterize gratitude as a kind of reciprocity, that gratitude is appropriate even toward an unintentional kindness, such as an offhand remark from a stranger. Walker further observes that Thomas Aquinas commended gratefulness for what benefits one even when done from contempt, reluctance and regret.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Religious approachesEdit
Template:See also Spirituality and gratitude are not dependent on each other, but studies have found that spirituality can enhance a person's ability to be grateful. Those who regularly attend religious services or engage in religious activities are more likely to have a greater sense of gratitude in all areas of life.<ref name="McCullough, M.E. 2002">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name=Highlights>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Gratitude is prized in the Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, Jewish, Baháʼí, and Hindu traditions.<ref name="ReferenceB"/> Worship with gratitude to God,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> or a similar religious figure, is a common theme in such religions, and the concept of gratitude permeates religious texts, teachings, and traditions. It is one of the most common emotions that religions aim to evoke and maintain in followers and is regarded as a universal religious sentiment.<ref name="ReferenceA">Template:Cite journal</ref>
Jewish conceptionsEdit
In Judaism, gratitude is an essential part of the act of worship and every aspect of a worshipper's life. According to the Hebrew worldview, all things come from God and, due to this, gratitude is essential to the followers of Judaism.
The Hebrew Scriptures are filled with the idea of gratitude. Two examples in the Psalms are "O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever", and "I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart."<ref>Template:Bibleverse, Template:Bibleverse</ref> Jewish prayers often incorporate gratitude, beginning with the Shema, in which the worshipper states that out of gratitude, "You shall love the Eternal, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might."<ref>Template:Bibleverse</ref> One of the crucial blessings in the central thrice-daily prayer, the Amidah, is called Modim – "We give thanks to You"; this is also the only blessing that is recited by the congregation together with the leader during their repetition of the Amidah. The concluding prayer, the Alenu, also speaks of gratitude by thanking God for the particular destiny of the Jewish people. Along with these prayers, faithful worshippers recite more than one hundred blessings, called Template:Transliteration, throughout the day.<ref name="ReferenceB"/>
In Judaism there is also a significant emphasis on gratitude for acts of human kindness and goodness.
Christian conceptionsEdit
Martin Luther referred to gratitude as "the basic Christian attitude" and today it is still referred to as "the heart of the gospel".<ref name="ReferenceA"/> Christians are encouraged to praise and give gratitude to their creator. In Christian gratitude, God is seen as the selfless giver of all good things and, because of this, gratefulness enables Christians to share a common bond, shaping all aspects of a follower's life. Gratitude in Christianity is an acknowledgement of God's generosity that inspires Christians to shape their own thoughts and actions around suchTemplate:Specify ideals.<ref name="ReferenceB"/>
Not simply a sentimental feeling, Christian gratitude is a virtue that shapes not only emotions and thoughts, but also actions and deeds.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
Jonathan Edwards wrote in his book A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections that gratitude and thankfulness toward God are among the signs of true religion. Allport (1950)<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> suggested that mature religious intentions come from feelings of profound gratitude; Edwards (1746/1959)<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> claimed that the "affection" of gratitude is one of the most accurate ways to find the presence of God in a person's life. In a small sample of Catholic nuns and priests, out of 50 emotions, love and gratitude were the most experienced emotions towards God.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="ReferenceB"/>
Pope Francis has noted that one of the lessons generally learned in family life is learning to say "thank you" as "an expression of genuine gratitude for what we have been given".<ref>Pope Francis, Laudato si', paragraph 213, published 24 May 2015, accessed 14 May 2024</ref>
In the Orthodox, Catholic, Lutheran, and Anglican churches, the most important rite is called the Eucharist; the name derives from the Greek word Eucharistic, meaning thanksgiving.<ref name="Seiss1896">Template:Cite journal</ref>
Islamic conceptionsEdit
The Islamic sacred text, the Quran, is filled with the idea of gratitude. Islam encourages Muslims to be grateful and to express thanks to Allah in all circumstances. Muslims commonly express their gratitude using the term "Alhamdulillah" (praise be to God), which is one of the four beloved words of Allah.
Even some verses of Quran indicates that, our main duty on this earth is to show our gratitude. For example, Template:Quote In this verse satan is saying to Allah that He will not find most humans grateful toward Him after when he (satan) refused to prostrate Adam. And the term Kafir also means 'ungrateful' (toward God) with the most fundamental sense in Quran. Here are some other verses from Quran: Template:Quote
Islamic teaching emphasizes that those who are grateful will be rewarded with more. A traditional Islamic saying is "The first who will be summoned to paradise are those who have praised God in every circumstance."<ref name="Gratitude - Parent of all virtues">Template:Cite journal</ref> The Quran also states, in Sura 14, that those who are grateful will be given more by Allah.
Many practices of Islam encourage gratitude. For example, the Pillar of Islam that calls for daily prayer encourages believers to pray to Allah five times a day in order to thank him for his goodness, and the pillar of fasting during the month of Ramadan is for the purpose of putting the believer in a state of gratitude.<ref name="ReferenceB"/>
Individual differences in gratitudeEdit
It is important to note that cultural and linguistic factors play a significant role in shaping expressions of gratitude worldwide.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Much research into gratitude focuses on individual differences in gratitude and the consequences of being a more or less grateful person.<ref name="Gratitude - Parent of all virtues" /><ref>Template:Multiref2</ref> Three scales have been developed to measure individual differences in gratitude, each of which assesses somewhat different conceptions.<ref name="WoodFactor">Template:Cite journal</ref> The GQ6<ref name="McCullough, M. E. 2002">Template:Cite journal</ref> measures individual differences in how frequently and intensely people feel gratitude. The Appreciation Scale<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> measures eight different aspects of gratitude: appreciation of people, possessions, the present moment, rituals, feelings of awe, social comparisons, existential concerns, and behavior which expresses gratitude. The GRAT<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> assesses gratitude towards other people, gratitude towards the world in general, and a lack of resentment for what you lack. A study showed that these scales all measure the same way of approaching life; this suggests that individual differences in gratitude include all of these components.<ref name="WoodFactor"/>
Empirical findingsEdit
Association with well-beingEdit
Gratitude not only contributes to positive emotions, but it also leads to a reduction in negative emotions.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> People who are more grateful have higher levels of subjective well-being. Grateful people are happier, less depressed, less stressed,<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> and more satisfied with their lives and social relationships.<ref name="McCullough, M. E. 2002"/><ref name="WoodSatisfaction">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Gratitude may shield against depression by enhancing the encoding and recall of positive experiences.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Grateful people tend to exercise greater levels of control over their environments, experience personal growth, find purpose in life, and accept themselves. They also tend to employ more constructive coping strategies when faced with life's challenges. They are more likely to seek support from other people and to reinterpret and grow from experiences, and they spend more time planning how to deal with problems.<ref name="WoodEudamonic">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="WoodCoping">Template:Cite journal</ref> Grateful people rely less on negative coping mechanisms, such as avoidance, self-blame, or substance use.<ref name="WoodCoping"/> Grateful people also sleep better, because they think more positive thoughts just before going to sleep.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> They tend to have better relationships, as a person's gratitude can positively impact their partner's satisfaction in the relationship.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Grateful people are more likely to have higher levels of happiness and lower levels of stress and depression.<ref name="Gratitude - Parent of all virtues"/><ref name="WoodPsychologist">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="McCullough, M. E. 2004">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Although many emotions and personality traits are important to well-being and mental health, gratitude may be especially important. A longitudinal study showed that people who were more grateful coped better with a life transition. Specifically, people who were more grateful before the transition were less stressed, less depressed, and more satisfied with their relationships three months later.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Two other studies suggested that gratitude may have a unique relationship with well-being and can explain aspects of well-being that other personality traits cannot. Both studies showed that gratitude was able to explain more well-being than the Big Five and 30 of the most commonly studied personality traits.<ref name="WoodSatisfaction"/><ref name="WoodEudamonic"/>
Gratitude also has a positive impact on physical well-being.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite journal</ref> For example, in one study, teens who wrote letters expressing gratitude to other people over the course of a month were more inclined to eat healthier food.<ref name=":1"/> This phenomenon might be explained by the notion that when people experience gratitude, they are more motivated to reciprocate the kindness shown by others. Therefore, rather than engaging in behaviors that may undermine their own health, they feel driven to adopt healthier lifestyles as a way of acknowledging the support they have received from others. Moreover, gratitude is known to trigger positive emotions, which in turn direct individuals' attention towards optimistic possibilities in the future. As a result, people are more likely to embrace behaviors that are conducive to a better future, such as healthy eating.<ref name=":1"/>
People who express gratitude also demonstrate improved overall health by way of greater physical activity, better sleep, fewer health care visits, and better nutrition.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Practicing gratitude may be correlated with small improvements in cardiovascular health.<ref>Template:Multiref2</ref>
Relationship to altruismEdit
Gratitude makes people more altruistic. One study found that gratitude correlates with economic generosity.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite journal</ref> The study used an economic game, and showed increased gratitude to directly mediate increased monetary giving, and that grateful people are more likely to sacrifice individual gains for communal profit. Another study found similar correlations between gratitude and empathy, generosity, and helpfulness towards the creation of social reciprocity, even with strangers, that is beneficial to the individuals in the short and in the middle terms.Template:R
As a motivator of behaviorEdit
Template:See also Gratitude may reinforce future prosocial behavior in benefactors. For example, one experiment found that customers of a jewelry store who were called and thanked showed a subsequent 70% increase in purchases. In comparison, customers who were called and told about a sale showed only a 30% increase in purchases, while customers who were not called at all showed no increase in purchases.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> In another study, a restaurant's regular patrons gave bigger tips when servers wrote "Thank you" on their checks.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
SomeTemplate:Who starkly distinguish between gratitude and indebtedness. While both emotions may occur in response to help or favors, indebtedness is said to occur when an individual subjectively perceives that they are under an obligation to provide repayment or compensation for the aid.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The two emotions then lead to different actions: Indebtedness may motivate the recipient to avoid the person who helped them, whereas gratitude may motivate a recipient to seek out their benefactor and to improve their relationship with them.<ref>Template:Multiref2</ref> A study of the feelings of migrant adolescents towards their parents noted that "gratitude serves and indebtedness challenges intergenerational relations after migration". The study also noted that, "when the expectations of return from the benefactor increase, indebtedness of the beneficiary increases but gratitude decreases".<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Unlike compassion or sadness, gratitude decreases cigarette craving suggesting a potential role in public health reductions of appetitive risk behaviors.<ref name="r756">Template:Cite journal</ref>
Psychological interventionsEdit
Several psychological interventions have been developed to increase gratitude.<ref name="Gratitude - Parent of all virtues"/><ref name="WoodPsychologist"/><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
For example, Watkins and colleagues<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> had participants test a number of different gratitude exercises, such as thinking about a living person for whom they are grateful, writing about someone for whom they are grateful, and writing a letter to deliver to someone for whom they are grateful. Participants in the control group were asked to describe their living room. Participants who engaged in a gratitude exercise showed increases in their experiences of positive emotion immediately after the exercise, and this effect was strongest for participants who were asked to think about a person for whom they are grateful. Participants who had grateful personalities to begin with showed the greatest benefit from these gratitude exercises.
In another study, participants were randomly assigned to one of six therapeutic intervention conditions designed to improve the participants' overall quality of life.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Of these, the biggest short-term effects came from a "gratitude visit" in which participants wrote and delivered a letter of gratitude to someone in their life. This condition showed a rise in happiness scores by 10 percent and a significant fall in depression scores, results that lasted up to one month after the visit. Of the six conditions, the longest-lasting effects were associated with writing "gratitude journals" of three things they were grateful for every day. These participants' happiness scores also increased and continued to increase each time they were tested periodically after the experiment. The greatest benefits were usually found to occur around six months after treatment began. This exercise was so successful that although participants were only asked to continue the journal for a week, many participants continued to keep the journal long after the study was over.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Similar results have been found in studies conducted by Emmons and McCullough (2003)<ref name="McCullough, M.E. 2002"/> and Lyubomirsky et al. (2005).<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
The Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley, offered awards for dissertation-level research projects with the greatest potential to advance the science and practice of gratitude.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Relationship to mental healthEdit
A study on the benefits of mental health counseling<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> divided approximately 300 college students into three groups prior to their first counseling session. The first group was instructed to write one letter of gratitude a week for three weeks, the second group was asked to write about their negative experiences, and the third group received only counseling. When compared, the first group reported better mental health after completing their writing exercises. The study suggests that practicing gratitude may help the brain react more sensitively to the experience of gratitude in the future, and therefore, may improve mental health.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
ConclusionsEdit
Multiple studies have shown the positive correlation between gratitude and increased well being, not only for the person expressing gratitude, but for all people involved.<ref name="McCullough, M. E. 2004"/><ref name=":0"/> The positive psychology movement embraced these studies and, in an effort to increase overall well-being, has begun to incorporate mental and emotional exercises to increase gratitude.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Further readingEdit
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- Template:Cite book Description & contents, summarizing scientific studies.
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- Grateful Living, founded by Br. David Steindl-Rast.
See alsoEdit
ReferencesEdit
External linksEdit
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