This...This should be a truther hymn...?
(Show Notes)
- When people receive expressions of gratitude, they generally become more likely to engage in prosocial behavior (i.e., helping others).
- This makes people more likely to help not only the person who thanked them, but also others.
- This is attributed mainly to the fact that being thanked makes people feel more socially valued.
- A related benefit of receiving gratitude is that it can increase people’s self-efficacy, by making them feel more capable.
- This highlights the importance of expressing gratitude yourself and encouraging others to do so, of expressing gratitude in a way that empowers those who are receiving it, and of expecting others to express gratitude to you where necessary.
As with any phenomenon, common-sense caveats apply to this. For example, if an expression of gratitude is clearly insincere or inappropriate, it’s unlikely to benefit the person receiving it.