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Gratitude - Parent of all virtues

Article in The Psychologist · January 2007

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 Gratitude – Parent
of all virtues
ALEX WOOD, STEPHEN JOSEPH and ALEX LINLEY
on current research and future directions.
Gratitude is not only the greatest of the Crumpler, 2000). The importance of motivator, encouraging a prosocial
virtues, but the parent of all of the gratitude has been a fundamental focus of response to help; and as a moral reinforcer,
others – Cicero (106–43BC) religions including Buddhism, Christianity, where the expression of gratitude makes
Judaism, and Islam. Almost all of the the benefactor more likely to provide help
A noble person is mindful and thankful Biblical psalms focus on the expression of in the future (McCullough et al., 2001).
of the favours he receives from others – gratitude towards God, and a representative Behaviourally, research has suggested
The Buddha Islam saying is ‘the first who will be that gratitude occurs both as a function of
summoned to paradise are those who have culture (Naito et al., 2005) and as a

G
RATITUDE is an emotion that praised God in every circumstance’. From function of the amount of imposition on
most people feel frequently and a secular perspective, Adam Smith, better the benefactor (Okamoto & Robinson,
strongly (McCullough et al., known for his economic treatise The 1997). However, there are many
2002). The Gallup Organization conducted Wealth of Nations, also wrote extensively unanswered research questions in this area,
a representative telephone poll of around on gratitude. He believed that gratitude was such as when and why the emotion of
1000 people (as cited in Tsang & essential for society, motivating gratitude leads to helping behaviour, the
McCullough, 2004), and found that 67 per reciprocation of aid when no other legal or nature of the social and psychological
cent endorsed the statement ‘all of the economic incentive encouraged its forces that lead to the expression of
time’ when asked how often they feel repayment. insincere gratitude, and the cultural factors
gratitude, and 60 per cent said that this Despite this recognised importance, the that shape if and when it is acceptable, and
made them ‘very happy’. This prevalence study of gratitude has been neglected by when it is expected, to express gratitude.
does not seem to be limited to Western psychology (McCullough et al., 2001).
countries – with some cultural variations, This may be part of a larger neglect of the The grateful person
gratitude seems to be experienced in positive aspects of life (see the special Most recent research has focused on
countries around the world (Naito et al., issue of The Psychologist, March 2003, at gratitude as a personality characteristic.
2005). Gratitude has also been a focus of www.bps.org.uk/34y7; Linley et al., 2006), Some people feel much more gratitude
recent public attention, with many people and a lack of focus on character strengths than others, reporting gratitude which is
reporting increased gratitude and (Linley & Harrington, 2006). However, this more frequent, more intense, and involves
appreciation of life following vicarious picture is rapidly changing, with a appreciation of a wider range of people and
exposure to the 11 September terrorist substantial amount of research published in events (McCullough et al., 2002). Multiple
attacks (Peterson & Seligman, 2003). the last few years. This article considers the studies now suggest that people who feel
Throughout history, gratitude has been current research into gratitude as both an more gratitude are much more likely to
given a central position in religious and emotion and as a personality trait, and the have higher levels of happiness, and lower
philosophical theories (Emmons & implications of this knowledge for levels of depression and stress (e.g.
applications in applied settings. In McCullough et al., 2004; Watkins et al.,
particular, we aim to stress what is and is 2003). However, many personality traits are
not known about this area, to encourage related to levels of mental health, so what
WEBLINKS intellectual and personal exploration of this is it that makes gratitude unique?
Assess your levels of gratitude, and participate in new but fertile field of study. The first reason that gratitude may be
research: www.personalitystrengths.com an important personality trait is because it
European Network for Positive Psychology: State of the art seems to have one of the strongest links
www.enpp.org Gratitude can be conceptualised as an with mental health of any personality
Positive psychology: www.positivepsychology.org affect, a behaviour, or a personality trait. variable. A recent paper (Park et al., 2004)
Bob Emmons’ gratitude website: Much as Adam Smith speculated, current looked at how 24 representative personality
http://psychology.ucdavis.edu/labs/emmons/ research suggests that gratitude operates as strengths related to life satisfaction.
Centre for Applied Positive Psychology: ‘moral’, or prosocial affect. Specifically, it Gratitude was more strongly related to this
www.cappeu.org acts as a moral barometer, drawing measure of happiness than all but two
attention to help received; a moral strengths, even after controlling for several

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The Psychologist Vol 20 No 1
 Gratitude

demographic variables. Gratitude related to support and physical and mental health cognitive attributions which cause such
life satisfaction at r = 0.43, suggesting that (Cohen et al., 2000). We feel this is one of emotions as anger, fear or disgust (Power
around 18.5 per cent of individual the most exciting directions for gratitude & Dalgleish, 1997), but have made little
differences in people’s happiness could be research, and are currently conducting progress in understanding gratitude.
predicted by the amount of gratitude they research in this area. Early indications The best indication comes from Tesser
feel. Increasingly, a large body of research suggest that gratitude does indeed operate et al. (1968), whose work suggested that
is building which is consistent with this in this way. For example, McCullough et around 65 per cent of the gratitude felt in a
conclusion (e.g. McCullough et al., 2002). al. (2002) obtained self and peer ratings for given situation was predicted by
Secondly, gratitude may be uniquely 238 people on gratitude and a host of other attributions regarding the value of the help,
important in social relationships. The personality variables. Peer ratings showed how costly it was to provide, and whether
‘moral’ effects of emotional gratitude that grateful people were seen as more it was altruistically intended (rather than
(McCullough et al., 2001) are likely to be empathetic, agreeable, and extraverted. with an ulterior motive). We are currently
as important in maintaining individual Peers also reported grateful people as running replications of this study, and also
relationships as in maintaining a smooth possessing more prosocial traits, endorsing investigating whether dispositionally
running society. People who feel more generalised measures (e.g. ‘Is helpful and grateful people are more likely to make
gratitude in life should be more likely to unselfish with others’), as well as reporting these attributions, in an attempt to integrate
notice they have been helped, to respond more actual prosocial acts the grateful situational and personality variables in the
appropriately, and to return the help at person had preformed. These relationships future study of gratitude.
some future point. If the grateful person existed independently of whether
reciprocates the favour, then the other dispositional gratitude was measured based Gratitude in the consulting
person is more likely to reciprocate the on self ratings, or other people’s room
new favour, causing an upward spiral of perceptions of the target person’s gratitude. Given the seemingly strong benefits of
helping and mutual support. Similarly, an having a grateful disposition, the question
ungrateful person is less likely to notice The grateful situation readily arises regarding the potential of
help, and less likely to reciprocate the help, As reflected above, most research has gratitude interventions (Bono et al., 2004).
making their benefactor less willing to considered the short-term effects of the Such research is also academically
provide further aid. grateful emotion, and the longer-term interesting, as it can inform the
It therefore seems likely that grateful effects of having a grateful disposition. development of experimental designs with
people will have better social relationships, Some research has focused on the distinct the power to show whether the grateful
characterised by greater closeness and characteristics of help-giving situations that personality trait has causal relationships
heightened reciprocal social support. The elicit gratitude. Cognition and emotion with mental health and social relationships.
latter may be particularly important, given researchers have made substantial advances Early indications suggest that gratitude
the strong relationships between social in modelling the situational elements and interventions may have considerable
applications to coaching and
psychotherapy. Seligman et al. (2005)
randomly assigned people to one of six
therapeutic intervention conditions. The
biggest short-term effects were seen for the
‘gratitude visit’, where people wrote and
delivered a letter to someone who had
helped them substantially at some time in
their lives. On average, people’s happiness
scores rose by 10 per cent, and their
depression scores also fell significantly.
Relative to a placebo condition, these
effects were seen to last up to a month
later, where they dissipated. In this study,
the longest-lasting treatment effects also
involved gratitude. People were asked to
make a list every day of three good things
about their life, and had increased levels of
happiness and decreased levels of
depression each time they were tested, with
the biggest benefits seen six months after
treatment. This is remarkable, as people
had only been asked to complete the
exercise for one week. Subsequent
investigation suggested that the exercise
had been self-reinforcing, with people
Adam Smith believed that gratitude was essential for society choosing to continue with the exercise long

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 Gratitude

after the intervention ended. This may be a For example, in addition to chronically low Grateful because of success, or
particularly important factor in the use of affect, people with depression commonly vice versa?
gratitude in coaching and therapy settings. experience considerable social problems, Compared to other personality traits,
Similar findings were obtained by Emmons which can lead to a downward spiral and research into gratitude is still in an
and McCullough (2003), and by impair progress towards higher levels of embryonic stage, and much of the existing
Lyubomirsky et al. (2005) also using an mental health (Segrin, 2000). Similarly, research has been correlational. One of the
approach that involved asking people to people living with a variety of medical most important and exciting questions for
‘count their blessings’. illnesses and health complaints often future research will ask about the direction
Gratitude in the consulting room shows experience low mood, and their physical of causality; having a grateful personality
great potential for various client groups. status and quality of life is often aided could lead you to develop better
through the provision of social support friendships and enjoy greater psychological
(Cohen et al, 2000). Increasing gratitude well-being, or gratitude could arise from
DISCUSS AND DEBATE seems a uniquely beneficial approach for already having high mental health and
Can (and should) gratitude interventions become these clients, given its potential to increase good social relationships.
part of mainstream clinical practice? both happiness and social support. Finally, The experimental evidence discussed
Why has the study of gratitude been neglected by as the research of Seligman et al. (2005) earlier suggests that increasing people’s
psychology? shows, gratitude interventions may be levels of gratitude leads to greater well-
How would you study gratitude from a multi- particularly suitable for people in the being. This is logical because if you feel
disciplinary perspective? general population who want to increase more gratitude you are likely to see the
Is Adam Smith right that emotional gratitude is their levels of happiness and well-being, world as a more friendly and hospitable
essential for the smooth running of society? and decrease their levels of depression – an place in which to live. Equally, as
What is the role of gratitude in your own life? important consideration for psychologists suggested above, grateful people may see
Have your say on these or other issues this article
who self-consciously aim to balance the social world through a ‘rose-coloured
raises. E-mail ‘Letters’ on psychologist@bps.org.uk or
research and practice towards improving lens’, perhaps seeing help they are given as
contribute to our forum via www.thepsychologist.org.uk.
the negative and fostering the positive more valuable, costly and altruistic, with
aspects of life (Linley et al, 2006). strong implications for the quality of their

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 Gratitude

strong evidential and theoretical basis for

applying this research in diverse settings.
Ideally this will occur with input and
collaborations from people across
psychology and from other disciplines.
Research discussed in this article has come
from experts in personality, cognition and
emotion, clinical, health, coaching, and
positive psychology. Collaborations
between these professionals can only
strengthen gratitude research, and we hope
that this article will aid such a process of
integration.
The importance of gratitude has been a fundamental focus of religions including Buddhism,
■ Alex M. Wood is in the Department of
Christianity, Judaism and Islam
Psychology, University of Warwick,
social relationships. Further research is mental health and well-being. Such Coventry. E-mail:
likely to uncover new mechanisms, perhaps evidence is fully consistent with traditional alex.wood@warwick.ac.uk.
including more positive coping styles when treatments of gratitude by theologians and ■ Alex Linley is Director of the Centre
faced with adversity, or as with other philosophers. Gratitude seems poised for a for Applied Positive Psychology, Coventry.
positive emotional dispositions, grateful ‘second wave’ of research; focus will pal8@le.ac.uk.
people may have better immune systems increasingly turn to the processes behind ■ Stephen Joseph is at the University of
and physical health (and a further open these relationships, investigations into Nottingham. E-mail: Stephen.
question is whether or not these questions of causality, and to developing a Joseph@nottingham.ac.uk
associations may be mediated by positive
affect; see Pressman & Cohen, 2005). Such
research will have to use both longitudinal References
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