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Gender Differences in Gratitude: Examining Appraisals, Narratives, the Willingness to Express Emotions, and Changes in Psychological Needs

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Abstract

Previous work suggests women might possess an advantage over men in experiencing and benefiting from gratitude. We examined whether women perceive and react to gratitude differently than men. In Study 1, women, compared with men, evaluated gratitude expression to be less complex, uncertain, conflicting, and more interesting and exciting. In Study 2, college students and older adults described and evaluated a recent episode when they received a gift. Women, compared with men, reported less burden and obligation and greater gratitude. Upon gift receipt, older men reported the least positive affect when their benefactors were men. In Studies 2 and 3, women endorsed higher trait gratitude compared with men. In Study 3, over 3 months, women with greater gratitude were more likely to satisfy needs to belong and feel autonomous; gratitude had the opposite effect in men. The willingness to openly express emotions partially mediated gender differences, and effects could not be attributed to global trait affect. Results demonstrated that men were less likely to feel and express gratitude, made more critical evaluations of gratitude, and derived fewer benefits. Implications for the study and therapeutic enhancement of gratitude are discussed.

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... Generally, adolescent women are more likely than adolescent men to seek support from peers when stressed and adjust their emotions by receiving emotional support [42]. Additionally, women are more likely than men to show gratitude because they prioritize creating and sustaining intimate relationships [43]. Considering the above, it is necessary to take into account the influence of gender when investigating the effectiveness of comfort. ...
... Studies suggest that feeling gratitude enhances self-esteem [50][51][52]. Gratitude is experienced when people receive something beneficial or when somebody does something kind or helpful [43]. The degree of gratitude when receiving comfort varies depending on whether the recipient seeks comfort or certain individual factors-individual differences in self-esteem levels and instability. ...
... Additionally, women reported higher levels of gratitude than men. This study's findings also suggest that peer relationship processes regarding receiving emotional support differ by gender, in line with these previous studies [42,43]. ...
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The relationship between self-esteem and emotional reactions to receiving comfort has been extensively studied in social and personality psychology, but the results have been inconsistent. Therefore, this study investigated the association between emotional reactions to receiving comfort from friends and self-esteem by examining whether an instability in self-esteem mediates the association between self-esteem levels and comfort effectiveness. Japanese university students ( N = 115) read a vignette involving comfort and completed a questionnaire evaluating the emotions they felt when a friend offered comfort. They also completed a daily measure of state self-esteem for 7 days, the perceived self-Esteem instability measure (P-SEI), and the Rosenberg self-esteem scale (RSES). Results were derived using multiple regression analysis. The interaction between P-SEI and RSES predicted gratitude when gender, friendship intimacy, seriousness, and controllability of the scenario were controlled for. The interaction between state self-esteem and instability was not significant. People with stable low self-esteem felt less grateful when comforted than those with unstable self-esteem, but they showed high gratitude and low hostility when comforted by a close friend. Although participants with stable low self-esteem were less impacted by comforted, the comfort provided by close friends induced positive emotions. This study offers a more comprehensive understanding of the correlations between self-esteem and the effectiveness of comfort by concurrently employing different self-esteem measurement tools and revealing the importance of the level and stability of self-esteem.
... Individuals with higher levels of gratitude are more likely to employ various strategies to cope with difficulties, thereby satisfying their competence needs (Wood et al., 2010). Kashdan et al. (2009) suggested that the key to gratitude lies in recognizing various acts of kindness, which can boost individuals' confidence and sense of autonomy. According to the BBTPE (Fredrickson, 1998(Fredrickson, , 2001, gratitude fosters the development of intimate friendships, fulfilling individuals' need for relatedness (Fredrickson, 2004). ...
... Moreover, a prior empirical study has established a direct association between gratitude and competence needs and relatedness needs among Chinese school adolescents (Tian et al., 2016). However, despite of previous evidence of the positive association between gratitude and autonomy needs (Kashdan et al., 2009), Tian et al., (2016 did not find the relationship among Chinese adolescents. One possible reason is that Chinese adolescents are often required to follow strict school rules and are required to focus on their studies, which limits their choices and autonomy. ...
... Notably, although it is more consistent with SDT to treat the three BPNs as one, some of these previous studies explored three BPNs separately (e.g., Kashdan et al., 2009;Tian et al., 2016;Wood et al., 2010). It is because that the three BPNs are related to different aspects of individual needs. ...
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Prosocial behavior (PSB) is vital for positive social development among adolescents, contributing to improved peer relationships, emotional well-being, and social competence. Gratitude, a positive emotion arising from recognizing and appreciating benefits received from others, has been identified as a potential contributor to adolescent PSB. This study aimed to investigate the mediating roles of social support (SS) and basic psychological needs (BPNs) in the relationship between gratitude and PSB among adolescents. A total of 390 middle school students participated in a longitudinal study, completing questionnaires assessing gratitude, SS, BPNs and PSB at two time points with a six-month interval. The results indicated that gratitude positively correlated with SS, BPNs, and PSB. Structural equation modeling revealed that SS, competence needs and relatedness needs partially mediated the relationship between gratitude and adolescent PSB. Moreover, a chain-like mediation effect was observed, wherein SS influenced autonomy needs and relatedness needs, which in turn predicted PSB. These findings emphasize the importance of gratitude in fostering PSB among adolescents and highlight the mediating roles of SS and BPNs in this relationship. Furthermore, our study elucidated the different roles of the three BPNs and further refine and expand the self-determination theory.
... The empirical evidence on differences in the experience of gratitude depending on gender in the vast majority of cases supports this thesis. Previous research shows that women are more likely to express gratitude for the little things in life, while men are less likely to feel and express gratitude and make more critical judgments of gratitude [43,52,53]. ...
... This study aims to examine the relationship between crisis and purpose in life. Based on the reviewed theory [14,27,38,52] and research [11,50,70], we examined whether gratitude and fear of COVID-19 mediate the association between the experience of crisis and having a purpose in life. We also explored the potential moderating effect of gender on this relationship. ...
... This study also revealed gender differences in gratitude. This is in line with previous studies showing that women have a higher level of gratitude than men [52,53]. Gender turned out to be an important moderator between the mediators (gratitude and fear of COVID-19) and the explained variable-purpose in life. ...
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Aim: This study investigated whether gratitude and fear of COVID-19 mediated the relationship between crisis experience during the pandemic and purpose in life in men and women. Methods: Six hundred and five participants aged between 18 and 60 years (M = 25.6; SD = 8.39) completed the Gratitude, Resentment, and Appreciation Scale-Short Form (GRAT-S), Fear of COVID-19 Scale, and Purpose in Life Test (PIL). In addition, the respondents were questioned about life crises during the previous six months (e.g., the death of a loved one or illness). Results: Men and women differed in their endorsement of gratitude or fear of COVID-19 as a mediator. Women's experiences of the crisis related both directly and indirectly to purpose in life, with gratitude and fear of COVID-19 mediating this relationship. In men, only the indirect path, from crisis experience, through gratitude, to purpose in life, turned out to be significant. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that coping styles differ in men and women and, as a consequence, that crisis interventions need to take gender into account.
... Additional research showed that there were significant differences between male and female genders in terms of sense of school belonging, with female students showing higher levels than male students after gratitude interventions to improve sense of school belonging. In accordance with the research of Lestari & Dewi (2020), the sense of school belonging in women is proven to be higher than in boys, and female students also show a higher level of gratitude than male students (Kashdan et al., 2009). Female students have a higher sense of school belonging than male students because they have a more positive and good perception of school, which contributes to a higher sense of school belonging (Gentry et al., 2002). ...
... Women are easier to express gratitude because they can express themselves verbally more strongly and more deeply with each other. Men, on the other hand, prefer to stay away from situations that allow them to express gratitude because they view communication as a way to share and receive information (Kashdan et al., 2009). Women's social roles are more complex and diverse, making it easier for them to find opportunities to express gratitude. ...
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A sense of school belonging that tends to be low has an impact on problematic behavior at school, so effective psychological intervention is needed. One form of intervention carried out is gratitude intervention. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of gratitude interventions in increasing the sense of school belonging of high school students. This study uses a quantitative approach with the type of experimental research, and the design used is a pre-experimental one group pretest-posttest design. The research was conducted on students of SMA Negeri 5 Soppeng with 34 students. The determination of research participants was using the purposive sampling technique. Data were obtained by filling out the Psychological Sense of School Membership (PSSM) scale before and after the gratitude intervention. The validity of the PSSM scale was calculated using the Aiken's V test and obtained a coefficient of 0.88, while the reliability test used Cronbach's Alfa, with a reliability coefficient value of 0.86. The data analysis technique uses the N-Gain score test. The results showed that the average score of sense of school belonging before the intervention was 40.15, while after the intervention it increased to 73.5, the results of the hypothesis test using the difference index (N Gain Score) recorded an increase of 55.9. Thus, the hypothesis in this study is accepted, which means that gratitude interventions in schools are quite effective in increasing the sense of school belonging of high school students.
... Different levels of perception of gratitude between men and women have been shown previously (Kashdan, Mishra, Breen & Froh, 2009;Lasota, Tomaszek & Bosacki, 2020). Based on such evidence, the need to address these gender barriers with investment in new research and practices was pointed out (Kashdan, Mishra, Breen & Froh, 2009 McDonald's Omega, values higher than 0.65 (Katz, 2006) are respectable, i.e., the studies that used this measure in this study also have good reliability based on this measure. ...
... Different levels of perception of gratitude between men and women have been shown previously (Kashdan, Mishra, Breen & Froh, 2009;Lasota, Tomaszek & Bosacki, 2020). Based on such evidence, the need to address these gender barriers with investment in new research and practices was pointed out (Kashdan, Mishra, Breen & Froh, 2009 McDonald's Omega, values higher than 0.65 (Katz, 2006) are respectable, i.e., the studies that used this measure in this study also have good reliability based on this measure. ...
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Gratitude can be understood as a guide for life and ability to perceive and appreciate the positive in the world. The present study aimed to map how many and which instruments are available to measure gratitude, the circums-tances of the evaluation and the predominant population. This systematic review located papers in four databases, resulting in a total of 36 papers. Of these, 16 original scales were found, and the remainder indicated as adaptations and validations. The main results show the numerical disparity of the perception of gratitude between genders and in relation to the age group evaluated. GQ-6 and GRAT are the most frequently used scales, with a greater variety of contexts and application audiences. The measures used to assess consistency have demons-trated, in most studies, concise reliability. It concludes by bringing the need for greater access to validated gratitude measures, in addition to the progress in the discussion regarding mental health.
... The first was percent of female participants in the study. This variable indicates gender representation, and it is important because previous research has found that women in general are more grateful than men (Chopik et al., 2019;Kashdan et al., 2009) and that, among older adults, women are more lonely than men (Pinquart & Sörensen, 2003). The fact that gender correlates with both gratitude and loneliness begs the question of whether gender also correlates with the joint association between gratitude and loneliness, as indicated by the meta-analytic correlation (effect size) between gratitude and loneliness. ...
... Age was examined because previous research has found reliable associations between age and loneliness (Victor & Yang, 2012). As regards to gratitude and age, several studies reported null associations (Kashdan et al., 2009;Wood et al., 2008). However, in contrast to these null results, Allemand and Hill (2016) found that age correlated with gratitude in certain life domains, such as health, social network, and functional ability. ...
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Gratitude is a positive social emotion that involves recognizing that others have brought benefits into one's life. Loneliness, on the other hand, is an unpleasant emotion resulting from a perceived lack of social connectedness. Although previous studies have reported an inverse association between gratitude and loneliness, these studies have not been systematically examined in a single review. To address this gap in the literature, we conducted a random‐effects meta‐analysis to examine the association between gratitude and loneliness. Analysis of 26 studies revealed a moderate sized effect (mean Fisher's z transformed correlation, z r = −.406, 95% confidence interval [CI] = −.463, −.349; mean back‐transformed correlation, r = −.385, 95% CI = −.433, −.335). To complement these effect sizes, we calculated a probability‐based common language effect size for correlations. Random‐effects homogeneity testing suggested the presence of effect size heterogeneity. Analyses of both continuous and categorical moderators were non‐significant, indicating that these variables did not influence effect size magnitude. Furthermore, publication bias tests suggested that our results were not influenced by unpublished studies. Finally, we proposed several statistical and clinical recommendations for future research. Regarding the latter, we offered suggestions for modifying gratitude enhancement programs with the aim of reducing loneliness.
... Also, according to the character strengths theory (Park et al., 2004), gratitude can inspire people to behave in line with their authentic selves and foster autonomy fulfillment. In addition, the Find-Bind-Remind theory (Algoe et al., 2010) emphasizes the function of gratitude in establishing, preserving, and enhancing connections; thus, gratitude may aid in raising the degree of relatedness satisfaction (Kashdan et al., 2009). All in all, gratitude at work may be related to the satisfaction of basic psychological needs. ...
... This confirms the Positive-activity model put forth by Lyubomirsky and Layous (2013), which contends that expressing gratitude as a positive activity can help people satisfy their basic psychological needs. Similar to the general gratitude studies by Kashdan et al. (2009), gratitude enhanced the satisfaction of need for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. The current result corresponds to these findings. ...
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The relationship between gratitude and many positive outcomes (e.g., work engagement) has been demonstrated, but less is concerned with gratitude in work environments. Thus, it is unclear of whether and how gratitude at work is related to work engagement. To fill the gap, this study examined the impact of gratitude at work on work engagement from the self-determination theory perspective. A total of 536 employees in China took part in the study and were asked to respond to a series of questionnaires consisting of the Gratitude Questionnaire, Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, and Basic Need Satisfaction at Work Scale. The results found that gratitude at work was positively associated with work engagement. Furthermore, basic psychological needs satisfaction mediated the influence of gratitude at work on work engagement. Our findings enrich relevant research on gratitude at work, substantiate a possible mediating mechanism (i.e., basic psychological needs satisfaction) linking gratitude at work and work engagement, and suggest theoretical and practical implications as well as possible future research directions.
... El modelo de bienestar psicológico positivo sugiere que la gratitud influye en la percepción del estrés (Wood et al., 2010;Yildirim & Alanazi, 2018), y se ha observado que las personas mayores muestran una mayor resiliencia en tiempos de COVID-19 cuando experimentan un mayor sentimiento de gratitud (Perez-Rojo et al., 2022). Sin embargo, estudios previos a la pandemia han indicado que los hombres tienden a experimentar menores niveles de gratitud (Kashdan et al., 2009). Asimismo, se han realizado investigaciones en adultos de edades comprendidas entre los 63 y 93 años que han demostrado la relación entre la gratitud y el bienestar psicológico, incluyendo la mejora del optimismo, la disminución de la depresión y la reducción de la ansiedad (Allan et al., 2014;Konradt et al., 2013;Liu et al., 2022;Peters et al., 2013). ...
... En cuanto al estado de gratitud, estudios anteriores a la pandemia han indicado que los hombres tienden a experimentar menores niveles de gratitud en general (Kashdan et al., 2009). Sin embargo, en nuestro estudio no se observó tal diferencia entre hombres y mujeres durante la pandemia. ...
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El presente estudio tuvo como objetivo evaluar el estado físico-emocional de las personas mayores durante la pandemia, considerando las diferencias de género y la influencia de los fallecimientos de personas cercanas por covid-19. Para ello, se utilizaron diversas escalas de medición, como la escala de felicidad subjetiva (SHS), la escala de calidad de vida relacionada con la salud (SF-12), la escala de estrés percibido (PSS), la escala de dolor (VAS) y la escala de gratitud (CG-6). La muestra consistió en 71 participantes de edades comprendidas entre los 55 y 75 años. Los resultados obtenidos indicaron que los hombres presentaron niveles más altos de felicidad subjetiva, mejor salud mental, mayor calidad de vida y menor percepción de estrés y dolor en comparación con las mujeres. Sin embargo, al considerar la variable de fallecimiento por covid-19, se observaron diferencias significativas únicamente en la salud mental y la percepción de estrés entre hombres y mujeres en aquellos participantes que no habían experimentado pérdidas cercanas. En conclusión, este estudio reveló la existencia de diferencias en el estado físico-emocional entre hombres y mujeres durante la pandemia. Además, se encontró que la cercanía de los fallecimientos por covid-19 tuvo un impacto diferencial en la salud mental y la percepción de estrés según el sexo. Estos hallazgos contribuyen a la comprensión de los efectos psicosociales de la pandemia en la población mayor y resaltan la importancia de considerar las diferencias de género en la salud física y emocional durante situaciones de crisis como la pandemia de covid-19. Palabras clave: personas mayores; covid-19; salud física; salud mental; coronavirus; felicidad; estrés; calidad de vida. Abstract. The present study aimed to evaluate the physical-emotional state of older adults during the pandemic, considering gender differences and the influence of COVID-19-related deaths of close individuals. Various measurement scales were utilized, including the Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS), the Short Form Health Survey (SF-12), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), the Visual Analog Scale for Pain (VAS), and the Gratitude Scale (CG-6). The sample consisted of 71 participants aged between 55 and 75 years. The results indicated that men exhibited higher levels of subjective happiness, better mental health, greater quality of life, and lower perceived stress and pain compared to women. However, when considering the variable of COVID-19-related deaths, significant differences were observed only in mental health and perceived stress between men and women among participants who had not experienced close losses. In conclusion, this study revealed differences in the physical-emotional state between men and women during the pandemic. Furthermore, it was found that the proximity of COVID-19-related deaths had a differential impact on mental health and perceived stress according to gender. These findings contribute to understanding the psychosocial effects of the pandemic on older adults and underscore the importance of considering gender differences in physical and emotional health during crisis situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Keywords: older adult; covid-19; physical health; mental health; coronavirus; happiness; stress; quality of life.
... Recent research suggests that gratitude is an adaptive resource that promotes and maintains mental health, even in the presence of negative life events [8]. Yue et al. [9] found that dispositional gratitude positively mediated the relationship between gender and subjective well-being, while Kashdan et al. [10] report that women generally express gratitude more frequently and are less critical in their evaluation of it compared to men. This may be because men perceive expressing gratitude as a threat to their autonomy, resulting in them being less likely to experience its associated psychological and phys-IJOMEH 2023;36(3) 3 been found to be 0.72 for the GQ-6 [15]; however, a value of 0.80 was obtained for the current study. ...
... This is consistent with results obtained by Solomou and Con- 11 compared to males. Significant relationships between SOC and GQ-6 detected only among female employees and female students are consistent with findings reported by Fujitani et al. [26] and Kashdan et al. [10], suggesting that women are more likely to feel and express gratitude, and to benefit from its contribution to well-being. ...
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Objectives: Universities played a significant role in meeting the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, with both students and staff having to identify and use available coping resources. The main aim of the study was to describe the academic community's experiences of the pandemic and their impact on health and wellbeing. Related variables were also explored, such as sense of coherence (SOC), gratitude, and subjective health assessment (SHA). Material and methods: During the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic, an online questionnaire was sent to the community of the Medical University of Lodz. It included 4 open-ended questions on ways to remain healthy during the pandemic. The responses (N = 144) were analyzed using a general inductive approach. For the purpose of this study, the resource utilization rate (RUR) was defined and calculated based on the number of categories with responses indicating resource usage. Additionally, a Polish adaptation of the 29-item Sense of Coherence scale (SOC-29), the Gratitude Questionnaire (GQ-6), and subjective health assessment were measured. Correlations between variables were calculated. Results: The main areas of resource identification and utilization were interpersonal relationships, views of reality, physical activity, pleasure activities, social contacts, and healthy diet. Physical activity has been found to be the most commonly-reported strategy of taking care of both health and emotional state more frequently among students than employees (p < 0.01). The RUR was strongly associated with SOC in male employees (ρ = 0.7, p < 0.05) and with GQ-6 in both male and female student groups (ρ = 0.56, p < 0.05 and ρ = 0.28, p < 0.05, respectively). Conclusions: Relationships between RUR and SOC seem to be gender- and age-related. The relationships between health and resource utilization are worth exploring in the university setting. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2023;36(3):365-78.
... Individuals with higher levels of gratitude are more likely to employ various strategies to cope with difficulties, thereby satisfying their need for competence [23]. Kashdan, Mishra, Breen, and Froh [24] suggest that the key to gratitude lies in recognizing various acts of kindness, which can boost individuals' confidence and sense of autonomy. According to the broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions [11], gratitude fosters the development of intimate friendships, fulfilling individuals' need for relatedness. ...
... This suggests that the experience of gratitude may lead to the satisfaction of basic psychological needs. Kashdan [24] and Chen et al. [27] found a positive causal relationship between gratitude and the satisfaction of basic psychological needs, indicating that higher levels of gratitude are associated with greater satisfaction of individuals' basic psychological needs. Additionally, gratitude forms strong emotional bonds in social interactions [28], aligning with the perspective of the Find-Bind-Remind Theory, which highlights the important role of gratitude in establishing interpersonal relationships. ...
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Prosocial behavior is vital for positive social development among adolescents, contributing to improved peer relationships, emotional well-being, and social competence. Gratitude, a positive emotion arising from recognizing and appreciating benefits received from others, has been identified as a potential contributor to adolescent prosocial behavior. This study aimed to investigate the mediating roles of social support and basic psychological needs in the relationship between gratitude and prosocial behavior among adolescents. A total of 390 middle school students participated in a longitudinal study, completing questionnaires assessing gratitude, social support, basic psychological needs, and prosocial behavior at two time points with a six-month interval. The results indicated that gratitude positively correlated with social support, basic psychological needs, and prosocial behavior. Structural equation modeling revealed that social support and basic psychological needs partially mediated the relationship between gratitude and adolescent prosocial behavior. Moreover, a chain-like mediation effect was observed, wherein social support influenced basic psychological needs, which in turn predicted prosocial behavior. These findings emphasize the importance of gratitude in fostering prosocial behavior among adolescents and highlight the mediating roles of social support and basic psychological needs in this relationship.
... These observations are consistent with literature in Psychology and Neuroscience that has explored sex differences in emotional perception and regulation. For example, Kashdan et al. (2009) posited that, in general, women may be more attuned to emotions, which could translate into more balanced or "adequate" levels of emotional attention. However, this does not necessarily imply that women pay less attention to emotions than men. ...
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Background The growing importance of emotional intelligence in academic and professional contexts has generated a need to explore its linkage with psychological well-being. Furthermore, understanding how various demographic and academic factors can influence students' emotional perception and management is crucial for optimizing educational and intervention strategies. In this context, the primary purpose of this study was to analyze the existing relationship between emotional education and psychological well-being in graduate students. Methods The objective was to conduct a comparative analysis of perceived emotional intelligence (PEI) in different study programs offered at a specific university. The methodology, framed within a positivist paradigm, was based on a quantitative approach and examines the responses of 1,522 university students using the Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS-24). Results This tool, which is divided into three dimensions (emotional attention, emotional clarity, and emotional repair), was analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and ANOVA tests to determine demographic and academic influences on the scores. The findings indicate deficiencies in the areas of Emotional Attention and Emotional Repair, contrasting with a marked prevalence in Emotional Clarity. Variables such as sex, age, and field of study demonstrated an influence on the dimensions of PEI. Notably, significant differences in emotional perception were found between sex and academic fields. Conclusions Specifically, training directed towards empathy proved to be a prominent factor in the perception of emotional competencies. This study highlights the influence of demographic and academic variables on emotional competencies, underscoring the need to adapt strategies in education and therapy.
... Also, the strength of the relationship between gratitude and PIL is different between men and women (Lasota, 2023). According to Kashdan et al. (2009), gratitude interventions might have varying effects on men and women, potentially leading women to experience a stronger sense of purpose in life due to their focus on relationships. The social role theory (Eagly & Wood, 2016) explains these differences by arguing that culturally established gender roles moderate the relationship between gratitude and PIL. ...
Article
Background: This study investigated the relationship between gratitude, purpose in life and flourishing, as well as the mediating role of purpose in life in the relationship between gratitude and flourishing in two different cultures, Indian and Polish. We also examined the moderating role of gender in the relationship between gratitude and purpose in life. Methods: A sample of 328 Indian and 303 Polish participants aged 18–56 years completed the Gratitude, Resentment, and Appreciation Scale, the Purpose in Life Questionnaire, and the Flourishing Scale. Pearson’s correlations were used to assess the associations between the main study variables, and PROCESS software was used to calculate moderated mediation. Results: Findings showed that gratitude and purpose in life were positively related to flourishing. Life purpose mediated the relationship between gratitude and flourishing. In the Indian sample, gender was a statistically significant moderator between gratitude (and its three facets) and purpose in life. In the Polish sample, gender moderated the relationship between overall gratitude and only one dimension (a sense of abundance) and purpose in life. Conclusions: The results suggest that enhancing gratitude and a sense of purpose in life can significantly improve individuals’ flourishing, considering gender and cultural differences.
... For example, research has shown that when expressions of gratitude are perceived as insincere or as attempts to exploit the benefactor's generosity, individuals are likely to exhibit reactance (Carey et al., 1976). In addition, for some individuals, receiving gratitude from family members may elicit stress and a sense of burden (e.g., Kashdan et al., 2009). However, for others, especially those with fewer negatively activated emotions, gratitude may have a particularly powerful impact. ...
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Expressions of gratitude by leaders tend to yield positive effects in the workplace. Leaders, however, are not solely bestowers of gratitude but also recipients of it. Although leaders are often studied for their influence on others in the workplace, it is crucial to acknowledge that they are also complete individuals with personal lives outside of work that can spill over and affect their feelings and leadership behaviors at work. To advance research on leadership and gratitude, we take a whole-person view of leaders to understand the interpersonal crossover and intrapersonal spillover of gratitude. By integrating the moral affect theory of gratitude and savoring interventions research, we investigate how an intervention involving reflecting on gratitude received from family members at home motivates leaders to be more helpful and empowering toward their followers at work. We studied these ideas across three daily field experiments with 103 full-time managers from high schools, 116 leader–follower dyads from a variety of industries, and 109 leaders across various industries. Our findings demonstrate that when leaders reflected on receiving gratitude from family members at home, they felt higher prosocial impact at home, which in turn fulfilled their basic daily needs, consequently motivating them to engage in more helping and empowering behavior toward their followers at work. We also found some evidence that leaders higher in trait negative affect benefited the least from reflecting on receiving gratitude at home. We discuss how our findings provide extensions to literatures on gratitude, leadership, and work–family issues.
... Previous studies found that women were more likely than men to experience and express grateful feelings (Becker & Smenner, 1986;Beutel & Marini, 1995;Bromnick & Swallow, 2001;Gordon & Whelan-Berry, 2004;Kong et al., 2015;Krause, 2006), and there was gender difference in the trait gratitude, such that females have higher levels of gratitude than males. For instance, Kashdan et al. (2009) theorized that in general, gratitude was socially experienced and expressed more in women than men, and found that in two studies, females scored significantly higher than males on the dispositional gratitude. vanOyen Witvliet et al. (2019) found that gender was a predictor of trait gratitude, with females having higher levels of trait gratitude than males. ...
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Student teachers have become an increasingly important group in university. Some scholars have begun to study the influencing factors of student teachers’ subjective well-being. However, few studies explored the potential positive factors, such as profession-related support, professional identity and gratitude, especially whether and how profession-related support affects student teachers’ subjective well-being, and how this relationship varies across trait gratitude and gender. Student teachers’ subjective well-being not only concerns their own mental health and personal professional development, but also concerns their future student’s academic performance, lifelong learning and development, so they should be given more importance in scholarly research on well-being. Based on the conservation of resource theory, this study examines the relationship between profession-related support from significant others (teachers, parents) and subjective well-being in a sample of Chinese student teachers, and proposes a moderated moderated-mediation model to reveal the mediating (professional identity) and moderating (trait gratitude×gender) effects of this relation. A time-lagged design was used to collect two waves of data (N = 575). Results indicated that both profession-related teacher support and parent support had positive effect on subjective well-being, professional identity mediated this effect, respectively, and profession-related teacher support made slightly greater contribution to subjective well-being than parent support. Meanwhile, trait gratitude moderated the relationship between profession-related teacher support, parent support, and professional identity (two-way interaction), and this moderating effect was further moderated by gender (three-way interaction). Furthermore, trait gratitude×gender moderated the strength of the indirect effect of profession-related teacher support on subjective well-being (through professional identity), and the mediated relationship was stronger for female (versus male) student teachers who have high (versus low) trait gratitude (moderated moderated-mediation). Theoretical and practical implications and future research directions were discussed.
... Finally, to our knowledge, no study has examined gender-stratified models of the associations among PTSS, meaning in life and gratitude, and suicidal ideation. This is an important consideration given that researchers have found gender differences among men and women regarding PTSS and suicidal ideation (e.g., Hoffmire et al., 2021;Lehavot et al., 2018) as well as meaning in life and gratitude (e.g., Kashdan et al., 2009;Steger et al., 2009). ...
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Military veterans experience higher rates of suicidal ideation compared to nonveteran populations. Importantly, suicidal ideation often precedes and predicts fatal and nonfatal suicide attempts, and thus it is critical to better understand factors that increase risk for suicidal ideation to inform suicide prevention efforts in this population. One key predictor of suicidal ideation is exposure to traumatic experiences and their sequelae, particularly posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). However, little work has explored how deficits in well‐being contribute to this association among veterans. We tested two aspects of well‐being—meaning in life and gratitude—as potential mechanisms underlying the pathway from PTSS to suicidal ideation among 7,388 men and women veterans who recently separated from service. A parallel mediation analysis revealed significant paths from more severe PTSS to more frequent suicidal ideation through diminished meaning in life, B = 0.005, SE = 0.001, 95% CI [0.004, 0.007], and gratitude, B = 0.001, SE = 0.001, 95% CI [< 0.001, 0.002]. Gender differences were also observed. Although the results related to meaning in life appeared to replicate across gender, pathways involving gratitude differed among men and women. Overall, our findings suggest that helping veterans build meaning and appreciation in everyday life may be a proactive and holistic approach to suicide prevention.
... While female overrepresentation is common in psychology research, especially in undergraduate pools (Dickinson et al., 2012), there are gender issues in gratitude research that need to be considered in future research. Previous studies on these issues suggest that male participants make more critical evaluations of gratitude than their female counterparts and are less likely to achieve the benefits of practising gratitude (Kashdan et al., 2009). ...
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The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly disrupted the daily lives of college students, resulting in elevated levels of stress, anxiety, and isolation. Research suggests positive psychology interventions aimed at practicing gratitude, offer potential benefits in reducing these common mental health problems. However, there is a limited understanding of how or why these interventions work nor what function gratitude plays in the lives of young adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, the purpose of the paper was to explore the sources and targets of gratitude of college students during the COVID-10 lockdown in Ireland. This study aimed analyse the content of the ‘Three Good Things’ intervention as reported by young adults during the COVID-19 lockdowns in Ireland. A total of 109 college students participated in a 7-day online ‘Three Good Things’ intervention, where they were prompted to reflect on and document three positive experiences each day. Participants were asked to elaborate on how these experiences made them feel and to highlight their role in facilitating these positive experiences. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the 2,200 submitted responses. The findings revealed three overarching themes relating to participants’ expressions of gratitude during the COVID-19 lockdown: (1) cultivating positive social interactions, (2) prioritizing meaningful self-care, and (3) fostering hope for a more normal life post-pandemic. By delving into the lived experiences of college students, this study sheds light on the elements central to their expressions of gratitude during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings underscore the importance of social connections, self-care practices, and hopeful prospects as sources of gratitude among students.
... What's more, given that our sample primarily consisted of college students, our results necessitate further cross-validation with a more diverse age range. Finally, since gender has been shown to have associations with both gratitude and PB (Eagly, 2009;Kashdan et al., 2009), there could be gender-specific nuances in the connection between gratitude and PB. However, the sample contained a limited number of male participants, which may have prevented the detection of moderator effects of gender. ...
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Prior research has revealed the relationship between gratitude and prosocial behavior, but less is known about the predictive effects of cognitive and affective aspects of gratitude on prosocial behavior. The objective of this study was to explore the cross-sectional and longitudinal effects of affective gratitude and cognitive gratitude on prosocial behavior applying the bi-factor model. Study 1 employed a cross-sectional approach including measurements of affective gratitude, cognitive gratitude and prosocial behavior in a sample of 329 participants (294 females, M age = 20.02, SD age = 2.38) and revealed that general gratitude but not affective gratitude or cognitive gratitude positively predicted prosocial behavior even after controlling for relevant demographic variables. In study 2, a total of 237 college students (213 females, M age = 20.43, SD age = 2.12) participated in a two-wave longitudinal study and the results showed the same pattern that only general gratitude, neither affective gratitude nor cognitive gratitude, independently predicted subsequent pro-social behavior over 6 months. These findings provide preliminary evidence for the link between the bi-factor structure of gratitude and prosocial behavior, highlight the essential role of overall tendency to experience gratitude in predicting prosocial behavior, and offer new perspectives in promoting prosocial behavior via gratitude interventions.
... A sense of gratitude can enhance the intrinsic motivation of junior high school students toward learning, making them more willing to invest time and energy in completing academic tasks (Ryan and Deci, 2000). In empirical research, Kashdan et al. (2010) found that the key factor behind gratitude is the awareness of various good deeds, which can raise people's self-confidence and sense of autonomy. When these three basic psychological needs are satisfied, the internal motivation of individuals is stimulated and they show stronger initiative, enthusiasm, and persistence in their study (Neufeld et al., 2020). ...
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This study aimed to explore the relationship between gratitude and academic engagement in Chinese students. The students of some junior high schools in Guangzhou were surveyed using the Gratitude Questionnaire-6, the School Engagement Questionnaire, the Levenson’s IPC Scale, and the General Well-being Schedule. A total of 708 valid responses were collected. The results indicate a significant positive relationship between gratitude and academic engagement. Subjective well-being plays a mediating role between gratitude and academic engagement. Locus of control and subjective well-being serve as serial mediators between gratitude and academic engagement. These findings suggest that promoting students’ academic engagement can be achieved by fostering gratitude and improving their internal locus of control and subjective well-being. By cultivating gratitude and enhancing these factors, educators and policymakers can create a more engaging and supportive learning environment for students.
... Within this age cohort, the development of trait gratitude demonstrates a consistent amelioration with advancing years [12]. In contrast to their senior counterparts, students in their early academic years tend to exhibit lower levels of trait gratitude [19]. Hence, within the scope of this study, examining the relationship between trait gratitude and subjective well-being, and the latent mediation variables among lower grades (age range = 12-17 years; mean age = 14.10 ± 1.43 years), will furnish fresh insights into the happiness experienced during this phase of life. ...
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The relationship between trait gratitude and subjective well-being is well documented in the literature. Recently, growing attention has been given to examining which factors are determinants in the relationship. However, there are no studies to present a comprehensive model of how meaning in life and self-control jointly play a role in this relationship. This study investigated parallel and serial mediation of the presence of meaning, the search for meaning, and self-control in the relationship between trait gratitude and subjective well-being. A total of 764 adolescents (Mage = 14.10, SD = 1.43, 48.43% males) from three middle schools in China completed a six-item measures of gratitude questionnaire form, a meaning in life questionnaire, a middle school students’ self-control ability questionnaire, and a satisfaction with life scale. The study revealed that trait gratitude affected the presence of meaning and subsequently affected subjective well-being. In addition, trait gratitude affected self-control through the presence of meaning and the search for meaning, and it subsequently affected subjective well-being. Therefore, the presence of meaning, the search for meaning, and self-control played an important role in the positive effects of trait gratitude on adolescent subjective well-being. The findings were in line with the intrinsic and extrinsic goal theory of gratitude and provided new insight to inform the improvement of adolescent subjective well-being in the future.
... These observations are consistent with literature in Psychology and Neuroscience that has explored sex differences in emotional perception and regulation. For example, Kashdan et al. (2009) posited that, in general, women may be more attuned to emotions, which could translate into more balanced or "adequate" levels of emotional attention. However, this does not necessarily imply that women pay less attention to emotions than men. ...
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Background: The growing importance of emotional intelligence in academic and professional contexts has generated a need to explore its linkage with psychological well-being. Furthermore, understanding how various demographic and academic factors can influence students' emotional perception and management is crucial for optimizing educational and intervention strategies. In this context, the primary purpose of this study was to analyze the existing relationship between emotional education and psychological well-being in graduate students. Methods: The objective was to conduct a comparative analysis of perceived emotional intelligence (PEI) in different study programs offered at a specific university. The methodology, framed within a positivist paradigm, was based on a quantitative approach and examines the responses of 1,522 university students using the Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS-24). Results: This tool, which is divided into three dimensions (emotional attention, emotional clarity, and emotional repair), was analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and ANOVA tests to determine demographic and academic influences on the scores. The findings indicate deficiencies in the areas of Emotional Attention and Emotional Repair, contrasting with a marked prevalence in Emotional Clarity. Variables such as sex, age, and field of study demonstrated an influence on the dimensions of PEI. Notably, significant differences in emotional perception were found between sex and academic fields. Conclusions: Specifically, training directed towards empathy proved to be a prominent factor in the perception of emotional competencies. This study highlights the influence of demographic and academic variables on emotional competencies, underscoring the need to adapt strategies in education and therapy.
... Results revealed that (1) women had higher scores on negative affectivity and higher scores on gratitude than men; (2) gratitude was also positively correlated with higher scores on life satisfaction, well-being, authentic-durable happiness, positive affect, and developing emotions; (3) higher scores on gratitude negatively correlated with higher scores on subjective fluctuating happiness; and (4) different predictor variables for gratitude among women and men. Kashdan et al. (2009) examined gender differences in gratitude. They examined in which manner women perceived gratitude differently in comparison to their counterparts men. ...
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The present study examined the gratitude among the depressed and non-depressed adolescents. This study also examined the impact of gender and depression on the gratitude of adolescents. Quantitative technique was used for investigation having two factors: the first factor having two levels of "Gender" (Boys and Girls) and the second factor having two levels of "Adolescents" (Depressed and Non-Depressed). This study adopted a 2×2 factorial design. After screening 320 participants, 120 adolescents: 60 depressed (30 male and 30 female) and 60 non-depressed (30 male and 30 female) were selected from different colleges of Cuttack district of Odisha, (18-20 years) having 'moderate level depression' (within the score range of 20-28 in the screening test of BDI-II) in case of 60 depressed adolescents. Beck's Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) (for screening) developed by Aron T. Beck and "Gratitude Questionnaire-Six-Item Form" (GQ-6) developed by McCullough et al. (2002) were used for the study. Two-Way ANOVA statistical technique was utilized and analysis was done through SPSS Version-20. Results revealed significant differences between depressed and non-depressed adolescents for gratitude, but no significant differences were found among male and female adolescents in their gratitude. The interaction effect was also not significant.
... Froh et al., 2008). Gratitude was especially popular with the female participants, concurring with other fi ndings that women seem more likely to express gratitude than men and derive more benefi t from it (Kashdan et al., 2009). The popularity of gratitude was such that this study recommends that it should be a cornerstone of future PPI programmes aimed at disaffected youth, who tend towards a mindset of deprivation. ...
Article
Adolescent alcohol misuse is associated with many adverse consequences for well-being (Viner & Taylor, 2007). Positive psychology has pledged to improve adolescent well-being, so what can the field contribute to the treatment of alcoholmisusing young people? This mixed methods study evaluates a pilot group application of positive psychology to alcohol-misusing adolescents, examining its effects on adolescent well-being and alcohol habits. The intervention consisted of eight workshops based on positive psychology models including happiness, strengths, optimism and gratitude. The participants were adolescents attending an alcohol and drug treatment service for young people. The experimental group (n = 10) participated in weekly workshops while a control group (n = 10) received no treatment. The results suggested that the group intervention led to an increase in adolescent well-being and decrease in alcohol consumption. In the quantitative study the results indicated significant increases in happiness, optimism and positive emotions and a significant decline in alcohol dependence. In the qualitative study the main themes were a rise in happiness and other positive emotions; the development of a future goal orientation; a decline in alcohol and drug use and an escalation of change amounting to transformation. The investigation concludes that a positive psychology group intervention can make an effective contribution to the treatment of alcohol-misusing adolescents with a recommendation to take the current pilot forward to a full study.
... In the PERMA model, Meaning (M) is associated with having a purpose in life and is guided by personal values. Studies have highlighted that having a purpose in participants' lived experiences reduces health problems (37). It has also been found that getting involved in a cause that matters can bring more meaning in life (38). ...
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Background Caregiving is a committed role that focuses on providing the required support and care to a care receiver who is either ill, disabled, or dependent to the extent that they are incapable of independent functioning. The topic of caregiving has been extensively studied worldwide, mainly focused on the negative aspects of caregiving, like caregiver stress, burden, role conflicts, and burnout among caregivers. However, limited efforts have been made to understand the positive aspects of caregiving among informal caregivers who spend most of their time in this unpaid role. The present study addresses this concern by exploring the positive aspects of caregiving among family caregivers of older persons in India. Methodology This is a qualitative study, which was conducted, using the existential-phenomenological approach. In this study, a purposive sampling technique was used, and a total of a 100 family caregivers participated from four cities in India, namely Prayagraj, Pune, Visakhapatnam, and Guwahati. Twenty-five family caregivers between the age of 30–50 years participated from each of these four cities. The data was collected using six semi-structured interview questions on positive aspects of caregiving based on the lived experiences of caregivers. The interview schedule was developed based on the PERMA model and finalized after the pilot study. Each interview took 30–50 min and was recorded and transcribed. Results The data was analyzed using thematic analysis. Some commonalities and differences were observed in the responses given by family caregivers from the four cities. Four major themes that emerged for the “Nature of positive caregiving” among participants from all four cities are “Caregiver’s attitude,” “Care and compassion,” “Roles and responsibilities,” and “Beliefs and values.” Four significant themes for the “Factors contributing to positive caregiving” are “Meaningfulness in life,” “Sense of belongingness,” “Personal growth,” and “Empathetic understanding.” Conclusion Based on the study’s findings, it can be said that the themes were associated with the PERMA model. Positive caregiving is an important indicator of caregivers’ and care receivers’ well-being. The findings have implications for planning some action research, training, and counseling programs for promoting positive aspects of caregiving among informal caregivers.
... Research suggests that women and men differ in a variety of well-being related aspects, including their reactions to happiness interventions. For example, Peura and Gayton (2012) as well as Kashdan et al. (2009) found that women were more engaged in gratitude exercises and also believed to get more happiness from them than men. This is because men are more likely to see gratitude exercises as a sign of weakness and vulnerability (Thompson et al., 2015). ...
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People’s reasons for goal pursuit strongly relate to well-being. An important concept that captures differences in the reasons for goal pursuit is the goal-striving reasons framework. Until today, it remains unclear whether the goal-striving reasons framework relates differently to the well-being of particular groups of people. Using the positive-activity model as a guiding framework, the paper at hand analyses a number of person-related characteristics which are relevant in a goal-setting context and are assumed to change the relationship between goal-striving reasons and well-being. Employing a large cumulative data set the person-related characteristics comprise of demographic variables (age, gender, managerial status) and selected well-being related variables (assertiveness, burnout, engagement, goal progress). Using correlation analyses in conjunction with Fisher’s z-test the results show that contrary to older employees (aged 24 or older) the goal-striving reasons of younger people are not related to their well-being. Women’s self-esteem reasons are more strongly related to well-being than they are for men. People’s goal-striving reasons are more strongly associated with well-being for people with high levels of assertiveness, low levels of burnout, or high levels of engagement. The findings have implications for the delivery of the Happiness through Goal Setting Training, a Positive Psychology Intervention based on the goal-striving reasons framework, as it identifies various alterations of the training to cater for the needs of these subgroups.
... A pesar de que algunos estudios no encontraron diferencias en la gratitud entre hombres y mujeres (Caputo et al., 2016), al contrastar los puntajes promedio de acuerdo con el sexo, las mujeres obtuvieron mayor puntaje que los hombres (Kong et al., 2017;Preś et at., 2020). En este sentido, los hallazgos concuerdan con lo reportado por la literatura, donde se sugiere que las mujeres suelen comunicar su gratitud con mayor frecuencia que los hombres y son más propensas a expresarla en sus comportamientos (Kashdan et al., 2009) siendo los hombres quienes pueden encontrar cierta dificultad para expresar sus sentimientos y, en consecuencia, su gratitud (Grabowska, 1997). Adicionalmente, las mujeres también mostraron mayores niveles de optimismo disposicional (Armbruster et al., 2015;Hinz et al., 2017), resultado que difiere de trabajos en donde se ha encontrado que las mujeres fueron menos optimistas que los hombres (Moreno & Marrero, 2015;Puskar et al., 2010) y donde los resultados fueron mixtos (Chang et al., 2010). ...
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Las investigaciones han sugerido que las personas agradecidas son más felices, enérgicas y tienen mayor esperanza de tener experiencias positivas. A pesar de que el GQ-6 es un instrumento ampliamente utilizado para evaluar la gratitud, su estructura factorial no ha sido explorada en población mexicana. El objetivo del presente estudio fue evaluar las propiedades psicométricas del GQ-6 en una muestra mexicana. Participaron 566 personas de población general de 18 a 67 años. El GQ-6 fue administrado junto con la Escala de Afecto Positivo y Afecto Negativo (PANAS) y el Test de Orientación Vital (LOT-R). Los resultados indicaron una estructura unifactorial con seis indicadores la cual mostró una buena bondad de ajuste y confiabilidad aceptable (α = .79); estos resultados se mantuvieron independientemente del sexo. Puede concluirse que el GQ-6 es un instrumento con buenas propiedades psicométricas para evaluar la disposición para experimentar gratitud en población mexicana.
... When these three needs are met, intrinsic motivation is most likely to occur [42]. In empirical research, Kashdan et al. [43] found that the key factor behind gratitude is the awareness of various good deeds, which can raise people's self-con dence and sense of autonomy. When these three basic psychological needs are satis ed, the internal motivation of individuals is stimulated and they show stronger initiative, enthusiasm, and persistence in their study [44]. ...
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This paper examines the relationship between gratitude and academic engagement among Chinese high school students, exploring the mediating effects of internal locus of control and subjective well-being. The students of some high schools in Guangzhou were surveyed using the Gratitude Questionnaire-6, the School Engagement Questionnaire, the Levenson’s IPC Scale, and the General Well-being Schedule, and 708 valid questionnaires were collected. Results showed a significant positive relationship between gratitude and academic engagement; internal locus of control and subjective well-being played a mediating role between gratitude and academic engagement, respectively; internal locus of control and subjective well-being played a chain mediating role between gratitude and academic engagement. These findings suggest that we can promote students' academic engagement not only by cultivating their gratitude, but also by improving their internal locus of control and subjective well-being.
... As a result, women tend to receive more social support and experience less relative deprivation than men, but have a lower sense of social responsibility (Eagley & Crowley, 1986). Kashdan et al. (2010) further confirmed that, compared with men, women feel less burden, less sense of responsibility and obligation, express more positive emotions, have a higher degree of gratitude, and have less sense of relative deprivation after receiving gifts. Based on this, we speculate that gender is closely related to feelings of gratitude, social support, social responsibility and relative deprivation. ...
Article
The Chinese government has invested much money to help poor college students complete their studies, but the gratitude of the recipients remains to be further studied. This study proposed a parallel mediation model and used questionnaires to investigate 260 thousand college students of China to examine the impact of the level of social support on poor college students’ gratitude and the mediating role played by social responsibility and relative deprivation. The results showed that social support positively predicted the gratitude level of poor college students; social responsibility and relative deprivation mediated the relationship between social support and gratitude; gender, school type and difficulty level had a significant influence on gratitude level. In short, education to improve the sense of gratitude of poor college students can be summarized as “two increases and one decrease”: increase social support, enhance social responsibility, and reduce relative deprivation.
... The Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction in General (BPNS-G) is designed to examine basic psychological needs satisfaction [20,21]. This scale has been largely used to examine general needs satisfaction [20,[22][23][24][25][26][27][28]. It has been validated previously involving various populations: Americans [29], Englishmen [30], Indians [31], Germans, and Australians [32]. ...
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Background The application of self-determination theory in explaining student achievement has been well-established in various contexts. However, its application to medical education, particularly in interprofessional education (IPE) remains underexplored. Understanding how students’ motivation plays a role in students’ engagement and achievement is essential to optimize efforts to improve learning and instruction. Objective This two-stage study aims to contextualize the SDT framework to IPE through the adaptation of the Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction to IPE (Study 1) and to demonstrate how SDT can be applied in IPE by examining a model of SDT constructs (Study 2) in predicting outcomes (behavioral engagement, team effectiveness, collective dedication, goal achievement). Design In Study 1 (n=996), we adapted and validated BPNS-IPE using confirmatory factor analysis and multiple linear regression using data from 996 IPE students (Chinese Medicine, Medicine, Nursing, and Pharmacy). In Study 2 (n=271), we implemented an IPE program where we integrated SDT approaches and examined the relationship of SDT constructs with IPE outcomes using multiple linear regression. Results Our data supported the three-factor structure (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) of BPNS-IPE, meeting the required model fit. Autonomy predicted team effectiveness (F=51.290, p<.05, R²=.580); competence predicted behavioral engagement (F=55.181, p<.05, R²=.598); while relatedness predicted significantly four IPE outcomes: behavioral engagement (F=55.181, p<.01, R²=.598), team effectiveness (F=51.290, p<.01, R²=.580), collective dedication (F=49.858, p<.01, R²=.573), goal achievement (F=68.713, p<.01, R²=.649). Conclusions The SDT motivational framework can be adapted and applied in the IPE context to understand and enhance student motivation in medical education. Potential studies with the use of the scale are provided to guide researchers.
... Cousins, Garver-Apgar, & Christensen, 2004 ;Giebel, Weierstall, Schauer, & Elbert, 2013 ;Little, Jones, & DeBruine, 2008 ;Penton-Voak & Perrett, 2000). Au fil du temps et des recherches, de nombreuses différences hommes/femmes ont été identifiées sur les plans émotionnels (Canli, Desmond, Zhao, & Gabrieli, 2002 ;Deng et al., 2016 ;Kashdan, Mishra, Breen, & Froh, 2009), de la personnalité (Costa, Terracciano, & McCrae, 2001 ;Schmitt, Realo, Voracek, & Allik, 2008), ou de la cognition (Adani & Cepanec, 2019 ;Archer, 2019 ;Halpern, 2000 ;Yuan et al., 2008). Par exemple, les femmes disposent d'un avantage en matière de compétences langagières dès les stades les plus précoces de développement (Adani & Cepanec, 2019 ;Archer, 2019 ;Barel & Tzischinsky, 2018). ...
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What is evolutionary psychology? Cognition and behavior in the light of evolution Evolutionary psychology aims to understand human cognitive organisation and functioning in the light of evolutionary theory. Despite its growing acceptance among scientists as a metatheory of the mind, evolutionary psychology has yet to find its place in the French scientific literature. This article aims to provide a general introductory framework to evolutionary psychology. We describe how natural selection shaped cognition and behavior, and what it entails for conceptualizing the human mind. We also explore how sexual selection acted as a key driver for the evolution of psychological differences between men and women. Finally, we address the most recurrent critics directed at evolutionary psychology.
... Respecto a si la experiencia de emociones positivas varía según el sexo de los menores, la investigación es muy limitada y los resultados no muestran una dirección clara, excepto en cierto grado para la gratitud (Cuello & Oros, 2016;Froh et al., 2009;Kiang et al., 2016) y especialmente para la simpatía (Lemos et al., 2015;Malti, Gummerum, Keller, & Buchmann, 2009;Vossen, Piotrowski, & Valkenburg, 2015) donde algunos estudios tienden a coincidir en que las niñas presentan valores más elevados que los varones, como suele ocurrir en población adulta (Bernabé-Valero, García-Alandete, & Gallego-Pérez, 2014; Kashdan, Mishra, Breen, & Froh, 2009). De cualquier manera, hay evidencia que sugiere que cuando las emociones y afectos positivos son evaluados de un modo global o más genérico (por ejemplo, a través del PANAS) no emergen diferencias entre los grupos (Barrón-Sánchez & Molero, 2014;Sandín, 2003;Veronese et al., 2012). ...
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El objetivo de este trabajo fue estudiar la validez basada en la estructura interna del Cuestionario Infantil de Emociones Positivas (CIEP), y elaborar un baremo para la interpretación de sus puntuaciones en niños y niñas argentinos de 8 a 12 años. Participaron 1384 niñas, 1376 varones y 1 menor que no identificó su sexo (M = 10.14; DE = 1.30). Todos asistían a escuelas primarias de gestión pública o privada, de zonas urbanas y suburbanas de Argentina. El Análisis Factorial Confirmatorio mostró que el modelo de cinco factores: alegría, gratitud, simpatía, serenidad y satisfacción personal, ajusta aceptablemente a los datos. Los análisis de varianza revelaron diferencias en la experiencia emocional positiva entre niñas y varones, siendo las primeras quienes muestran una mayor tendencia a ser agradecidas y simpáticas. A partir de estos resultados se calcularon las medias, las desviaciones típicas y los valores percentilares del CIEP para cada sexo, según correspondió
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Previous research has established that tourism can bring happiness and well-being to tourists. However, the specific mechanisms by which travel leads to well-being are not yet fully understood. To address this knowledge gap, this study integrated Cognitive Appraisal Theory (CAT) and Self-Determination Theory (SDT) to predict tourist well-being. The study employed a quantitative approach and used a sample population of tourists who had traveled abroad for at least 3 days in the past 12 months. Data was collected from an online panel owned by the Centre of Tourism Research in Prince Edward Island (PEI), resulting in a final sample size of 396. Two-step analysis, including Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), was performed on the data. The findings support the predictions of CAT and SDT and establish connections between the theories. Specifically, the study found that SDT's psychological needs of autonomy and relatedness mediate the relationship between the positive emotions elicited by the trip and tourists’ psychological well-being.
Chapter
The chapter begins with a definition of positive psychology, followed by its key elements. It presents Seligman’s (Flourish: The new positive psychology and the search for well-being, Free Press, 2011) theory of positive psychology with a focus on analyzing happiness in three different elements such as positive emotions, engagement, and meaning (purpose in life). The chapter then analyzes literature on benefits of positive psychology. The findings from literature on benefits of positive psychology include improving emotional awareness, optimism, social skills, assertiveness, and problem-solving skills of first-year students. From the reviewed literature, the chapter recommends that psychologists should focus on the scientific study of the well-being, optimism, and flourishing of first-year students at universities.
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This study inspects the insights and practices of gratitude among Pakistani university students using qualitative research method. Convenience sampling was used. The study gathered data through semi-structured interviews with 15 students, aged 18 to 25, and open-ended questionnaires filled by 25 students. The data were evaluated using thematic analysis, uncovering key themes: Understanding gratitude, expressing gratitude, Social Media’s effect on Gratitude, Gratitude and Academic Performance, Benefits of Gratitude, and Gratitude in Family Relationships. The findings feature the social, religious, and cultural variables forming students’ perspectives on gratitude. Prominently, gratitude was found to improve academic execution and stress management. Although, social issues like debasement and divergence were recognized as boundaries to offering gratitude. The study presumes that encouraging gratitude in universities can reinforce the learning environment, however systems should think about the broader social setting. Further exploration is expected to investigate gratitude in different instructive settings and over time to comprehend its advancing role. This exploratory study gives fundamental bits of knowledge into gratitude in Pakistani society and lays the preparation for future examination on its more extensive ramifications.
Article
Importance Supporting healthy aging is a US public health priority, and gratitude is a potentially modifiable psychological factor that may enhance health and well-being in older adults. However, the association between gratitude and mortality has not been studied. Objective To examine the association of gratitude with all-cause and cause-specific mortality in later life. Design, Setting, and Participants This population-based prospective cohort study used data from self-reported questionnaires and medical records of 49 275 US older female registered nurses who participated in the Nurses’ Health Study (2016 questionnaire wave to December 2019). Cox proportional hazards regression models estimated the hazard ratio (HR) of deaths by self-reported levels of gratitude at baseline. These models adjusted for baseline sociodemographic characteristics, social participation, physical health, lifestyle factors, cognitive function, and mental health. Data analysis was conducted from December 2022 to April 2024. Exposure Gratitude was assessed with the 6-item Gratitude Questionnaire, a validated and widely used measure of one’s tendency to experience grateful affect. Main Outcomes and Measures Deaths were identified from the National Death Index, state statistics records, reports by next of kin, and the postal system. Causes of death were ascertained by physicians through reviewing death certificates and medical records. Results Among the 49 275 participants (all female; mean [SD] age at baseline, 79 [6.16] years), 4608 incident deaths were identified over 151 496 person-years of follow-up. Greater gratitude at baseline was associated with a lower hazard of mortality in a monotonic fashion. For instance, the highest tertile of gratitude, compared with the lowest tertile, was associated with a lower hazard of all-cause deaths (HR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.84-0.99) after adjusting for baseline sociodemographic characteristics, social participation, religious involvement, physical health, lifestyle factors, cognitive function, and mental health. When considering cause-specific deaths, death from cardiovascular disease was inversely associated with gratitude (HR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.73-0.995). Conclusions and Relevance This study provides the first empirical evidence suggesting that experiencing grateful affect is associated with increased longevity among older adults. The findings will need to be replicated in future studies with more representative samples.
Article
Gratitude interventions have been usually less effective for collectivistic cultures compared to individualistic cultures. The first study examined the impact of the target person in the efficacy of gratitude intervention in the Indian context. The second study examined whether conception of gratitude is similar between Indians and Anglo-Americans. In first study, 312 first-year undergraduate Indian students (Mage = 18.64, SD = 0.76) were randomly assigned to three groups. They wrote about a typical day in their life, gratitude toward a particular person of their choice and gratitude toward an immediate family member, respectively. Selected sub-scales of PANAS-X were administered before and after the intervention. In second study, 112 Indian participants (Mage = 27.63, SD = 5.82) and 80 Anglo-American (Mage = 38.48, SD = 11.94) participants took part in a survey whereby they needed to rate the centrality and positivity of some gratitude features. We found expressing gratitude toward an immediate family member was neither effective in increasing positive emotions nor effective in decreasing negative emotions. However, expressing gratitude toward any person of choice was effective in increasing positive emotions as well as decreasing negative emotions. Three prominent themes emerged for gratefulness toward any person, i.e., being an inspiration, providing a perspective in life, and emotional and financial support in success. Providing support to the hypotheses, indebtedness and its associated negative emotions were perceived more positively and more central to the concept of gratitude for Indian participants than Anglo-American participants.
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This study investigated the relationships between gratitude, positive reappraisal, peace of mind, and psychological well-being among Chinese college students using a cross-sectional design. Participants included 336 undergraduate students from various disciplines, recruited from four universities in mainland China. Self-reported measures assessed gratitude, positive reappraisal, peace of mind, and psychological well-being. Preliminary analyses ensured data quality and addressed potential common method bias. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the hypothesized measurement model, and structural equation modeling revealed significant direct effects of gratitude, positive reappraisal, and peace of mind on well-being. Additionally, gratitude and positive reappraisal demonstrated significant indirect effects on well-being mediated by peace of mind. Measurement invariance testing confirmed that the model operated equivalently across gender groups, supporting the robustness and generalizability of the findings. These results highlight the importance of gratitude, positive reappraisal, and peace of mind in promoting psychological well-being among college students, particularly in high-pressure academic environments.
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This study compares a gratitude intervention with an Indian yoga intervention to determine its efficacy to raise happiness levels. A randomized control trial was conducted with 48 female participants in each intervention group for eight weeks. The results suggest that happiness levels improved from pre-intervention to mid- and post-intervention and from mid- to post-intervention in the gratitude and yoga intervention groups. Despite similar levels of happiness pre-intervention in both groups, the yoga intervention group outperformed the gratitude intervention group in improving participants’ happiness levels at mid-intervention and post-intervention. The findings reveal the significance of customizing interventions to fit specific cultural contexts.
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The Covid-19 outbreak increased the importance of dispositional qualities and easy-to-use self-help strategies to promote mental well-being. Previous research indicate that disposition to gratitude enhances well-being by protecting mental health. However, evidence for the efficacy of gratitude-inducing interventions in preventing psychological problems is mixed. Further, data on the gratitude-well-being link under Covid-19 circumstances are inconclusive. In the present reseach, we examined the role of trait gratitude and gratitude-listing intervention in alleviating future anxiety during the pandemic, and the mediating role of perceived realistic and symbolic threats from Covid-19. In the first study, a correlational study (N = 405), participants rated the predictor and outcome measures—the scales of gratitude, future anxiety, and perceived realistic and symbolic threats from Covid-19. In the second study, a pretest-posttest intervention study (N = 150), participants were randomized to list grateful experiences or important daily life events every two days for a month, or to complete only the pretest and posttest measures. Results indicated that disposition to gratitude was associated with lower future anxiety (study-1), whereas the gratitude-listing intervention did not reduce this anxiety (study-2). Furthermore, in both studies, the perceived Covid-19 threats did not mediate the relationship between gratitude and future anxiety. Exploratory qualitative analyses of participants’ gratitude lists and feedback in the second study showed that the pandemic situation hindered the benefits of the intervention. Overall, the results suggest that trait gratitude is more strongly associated with alleviation of psychological distress during the Covid-19 pandemic than gratitude listing. This supports the accumulating data that gratitude interventions, while beneficial for well-being, have limited effectiveness in reducing symptoms of ill-being, such as anxiety.
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Throughout the entire COVID-19 pandemic, physical lockdown restrictions caused a rise in mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and stress. During the pandemic, Chinese universities implemented “dormitory isolation” for students amid outbreaks, requiring them to stay in their university dormitories for several weeks or even months. This study focused on the mental health of these students and investigated how trait gratitude of them was associated with their mental health. Participants were 1,200 college students from a university in China, who experienced a two-week isolation in university dormitories. We used moderated mediation models to analyze their sex, trait gratitude, resilience, mental health, and helping behavior. Higher trait gratitude was associated with higher resilience, which in turn predicted better mental health. The relationship between trait gratitude and resilience was stronger for females who engaged in helping behaviors, while this relationship was weaker for males who engaged in helping behaviors. The findings suggest that trait gratitude of college students can benefit their mental health through their resilience when they encounter stressful contexts such as dormitory lockdown. Meanwhile, this study indicates the important contextual value of engaging in helping behaviors for females during the lockdown.
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This study tested positive psychological processes (viz., optimism, gratitude, flourishing, & positive mood) and self-rated emotional intelligence (EI) as predictors of psychological health, namely, depressive symptoms, in older adults. Results from conducting a hierarchical regression analysis indicated that positive psychological processes accounted for a large amount of unique variance in depressive symptoms, independent of age and sex. Importantly, however, EI was found to add further incremental validity to the prediction of depressive symptoms, beyond positive psychological processes. Thus, EI cannot be reduced down to components of optimism, flourishing, gratitude, and positive mood. Alternatively, EI remains an important predictor of depressive symptoms in older adults. Some implications of the present findings for promoting psychological health in older adults are discussed.
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Women now make up more than half of the physician workforce, but they are disproportionately plagued by burnout. Medicine is a fast-paced stressful field, the practice of which is associated with significant chronic stress due to systems issues, crowding, electronic medical records, and patient case mix. Hospitals and health care systems are responsible for mitigating system-based burnout-prone conditions, but often their best efforts fail. Physicians, particularly women, must confront their stressors and the daily burden of significant system strain when this occurs. Those who routinely exceed their cumulative stress threshold may experience burnout, career dissatisfaction, and second victim syndrome and, ultimately, may prematurely leave medicine. These conditions affect women in medicine more often than men and may also produce a higher incidence of health issues, including depression, substance use disorder, and suicide. The individual self-care required to maintain health and raise stress thresholds is not widely ingrained in provider practice patterns or behavior. However, the successful long-term practice of high-stress occupations, such as medicine, requires that physicians, especially women physicians, attend to their wellness. In this article, we address one aspect of health, resilience, and review six practices that can create additional stores of personal resilience when proactively integrated into a daily routine.
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Teacher well-being is a stimulating topic frequently appearing in studies over long periods. Teachers are typically exposed to stress that, when addressed, can lead to low morale and positively impact their work. This study examined the relationship between job satisfaction and well-being among preschool teachers in Selangor. We used a quantitative research method and correlational research design to test the hypotheses and answer the research questions. The current study involved 977 government preschool teachers selected using a cluster random sampling method. After data cleaning, a data set of 610 respondents was used for this study. This study used exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using AMOS for data analysis. SEM Analysis showed that job satisfaction positively influences teachers' well-being. However, our results also showed that the subconstruct of job satisfaction with students did not significantly influence preschool teachers' well-being.
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Background Although gratitude is a culturally-sensitive construct, it has yet received very little research attention in Arab countries; hence hindering the understanding of its features, correlates, and cross-cultural specificities. To fill this gap, we sought to examine the psychometric properties of an Arabic translation of the 6-item Gratitude Questionnaire (GQ) in an Arabic-speaking sample of adults from the general population of Lebanon. Method We conducted a web-based survey including 601 participants (mean age 29.91 ± 12.61; 62.7% females). The forward-backward translation method was used for the translation and adaptation of the GQ-6 into the Arabic language. Results Findings indicated that a four-item version of the GQ achieved adequate fit statistics; with the removal of the two reverse-scored items 3 and 6. We found a McDonald Omega coefficient for the total 4-item GQ (GQ-4) scores of .88, thus attesting for the good reliability of the scale. Multiple-group Confirmatory Factor Analysis showed that the scale structure was invariant across male and female respondents at the configural, metric, and scalar levels. Females exhibited significantly higher gratitude scores compared to males. Finally, discriminant validity of the Arabic GQ-4 was evidenced through positive significant correlations with social support levels. Conclusion The Arabic adaptation of the GQ showed good psychometric qualities; suggesting that it is suitable for measuring people’s disposition toward gratitude in Arab backgrounds. Offering the Arabic GQ-4 as a brief, simple, cost-effective, valid, and reliable measure of gratitude to the Arabic-speaking community could help raise awareness about gratitude as a key component for achieving good mental health and wellbeing in Arab contexts.
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Purpose The purpose of this study is to analyze the potential mediating role of employee engagement in the relationship between gratitude and subjective well-being (SWB) of employees working in the information technology (IT) sector in India. The study investigated a moderated mediation model for gratitude and SWB, treating employee engagement as a mediator and gender as a moderator. Design/methodology/approach Data was collected from 162 professionals working IT sector in India. Process Macro, AMOS and IBM SPSS 22 were used to analyze the mediation and moderation effects. Findings The results depicted that employee engagement fully mediates the positive association between gratitude practice and the SWB of employees as well as the demographic variable; gender also demonstrated a full moderation effect between them. Originality/value This research may be one of the few studies from the Indian context that explore whether gratitude practiced by employees working in the IT sector can play a significant role in impacting their SWB. Past research models had not introduced employee engagement’s indirect impact on the examined variables.
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The present study focuses on examining the role of Positive psychotherapy (PPT) on improving gratitude level of depressed adolescents. The effectiveness of PPT is measured through pre-test and post-test design. In this study, purposive sampling technique has been utilized for data collection. BDI-II and GQ-6 were used as test measures. Total of 120 participants (N=120), 60 depressed (Male=30 & Female=30) and 60 non-depressed (Male=30 & Female=30) were selected through the screening process. Among 60 moderately depressed adolescents every 10 th participants were selected, resulting in 6 participants (3 males & 3 females) were finally chosen for therapeutic purpose of taking PPT. The student's t-test (correlated sample) was used for statistical calculation. Research findings revealed that there were significant differences in the pre-test and post-test scores of gratitude among depressed and non-depressed adolescents. Positive Psychotherapy (PPT) as an intervention found to be effective for decreasing depressive symptoms in moderately depressed individuals by increasing pleasure, engagement, and meaning-both in-person and over the web during therapeutic sessions. After practicing (gratitude journal, using character strengths, practical wisdom, gratitude letter, hope, optimism) in the therapy, participants developed a sense of growth mind set and better adjustment with the environment. Results of the study indicated from the mean scores that the depressed adolescents showed improvement in post-test (after intervention) 'Gratitude' score after receiving PPT.
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The study aimed to identify the level of happiness among a sample of students from the University of Misurata, as well as to know the differences in happiness according to gender, specialization and stage of study, on a sample of (375) male and female students from the University of Misurata, who were chosen randomly, including (137) males and ( 238) females, and the comparative descriptive approach was used as the appropriate approach for the objectives of the study, and the happiness scale prepared by (Abbott, et al, 2006) was used. Data, and statistical methods included the use of arithmetic means, standard deviations, Pearson correlation coefficient, and a t-test for the significance of differences between averages and analysis of variance.
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Gratitude has mostly been explored in relation to well-being but whether it is associated with school-related outcomes such as motivation and engagement has seldom been explored. Motivation and engagement, however, are critical to students’ academic success. Hence, the aim of this study was to examine how gratitude is associated with different types of academic motivation (amotivation, controlled motivation, and autonomous motivation) and engagement (cognitive, behavioural, and emotional). We recruited 1099 Chinese university students and asked them to answer questionnaires assessing their levels of gratitude, motivation, and engagement. Structural equation modelling revealed that gratitude was positively associated with controlled motivation, autonomous motivation, and academic engagement but negatively associated with amotivation. Autonomous motivation partially mediated the relationship between gratitude and academic engagement. The findings of this study elucidate the theoretical linkages among gratitude, motivation, and engagement, demonstrating the importance of gratitude for school-related outcomes.
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Cette étude porte sur le français langue première et vise deux objectifs : comparer la conscience morphologique (CM) de bilingues et monolingues ; déterminer la contribution de la CM à la lecture et préciser si elle est modérée par le bilinguisme. La CM est mesurée par des tâches de complètement de phrases par une forme fléchie ou dérivée et d’extraction de la base, et la lecture par des tests standardisés (EVALEC et Alouette). Soixante-neuf bilingues français-portugais en 1 re , 3 e et 5 e année ont été comparées à 69 monolingues. Les résultats montrent systématiquement une supériorité bilingue en CM et une contribution de celle-ci à la lecture-fluence en 1 re année et à la lecture-précision aux niveaux suivants, pour les bilingues comme pour les monolingues. Ces résultats approfondissent la notion d’avantage bilingue et le rôle de la CM en lecture en particulier sur la précision en lecture.
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Gratitude is conceptualized as a moral affect that is analogous to other moral emotions such as empathy and guilt. Gratitude has 3 functions that can be conceptualized as morally relevant: (a) a moral barometer function (i.e., it is a response to the perception that one has been the beneficiary of another person's moral actions); (b) a moral motive function (i.e., it motivates the grateful person to behave prosocially toward the benefactor and other people); and (c) a moral reinforcer function (i.e., when expressed, it encourages benefactors to behave morally in the future). The personality and social factors that are associated with gratitude are also consistent with a conceptualization of gratitude as an affect that is relevant to people's cognitions and behaviors in the moral domain.
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Socioemotional selectivity theory claims that the perception of time plays a fundamental role in the selection and pursuit of social goals. According to the theory, social motives fall into 1 of 2 general categories—those related to the acquisition of knowledge and those related to the regulation of emotion. When time is perceived as open-ended, knowledge-related goals are prioritized. In contrast, when time is perceived as limited, emotional goals assume primacy. The inextricable association between time left in life and chronological age ensures age-related differences in social goals. Nonetheless, the authors show that the perception of time is malleable, and social goals change in both younger and older people when time constraints are imposed. The authors argue that time perception is integral to human motivation and suggest potential implications for multiple subdisciplines and research interests in social, developmental, cultural, cognitive, and clinical psychology.
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Increased interest in emotional expressivity has led to a proliferation of conceptions and measures. It is unclear, however, whether they all refer to the same construct and whether the domain of emotional expressivity is best conceptualized as unidimensional or multifaceted. Study 1 examined 6 common expressivity questionnaires, yielding 5 factors: Expressive Confidence, Positive Expressivity, Negative Expressivity, Impulse Intensity, and Masking. To develop a nomological network for these factors, the factors were related to broader personality taxonomies and their differential relations to sex and ethnicity were tested. Study 2 provided further evidence of discriminant validity in relation to (a) typical emotion expression in peer relationships, (b) ability to pose emotions in the laboratory, (c) likability, and (d) regulation of emotion and mood. These findings support a hierarchical model of individual differences in emotional expressivity.
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Affect intensity (AI) may reconcile 2 seemingly paradoxical findings: Women report more negative affect than men but equal happiness as men. AI describes people’s varying response intensity to identical emotional stimuli. A college sample of 66 women and 34 men was assessed on both positive and negative affect using 4 measurement methods: self-report, peer report, daily report, and memory performance. A principal-components analysis revealed an affect balance component and an AI component. Multimeasure affect balance and AI scores were created, and t tests were computed that showed women to be as happy as and more intense than men. Gender accounted for less than 1% of the variance in happiness but over 13% in AI. Thus, depression findings of more negative affect in women do not conflict with well-being findings of equal happiness across gender. Generally, women’s more intense positive emotions balance their higher negative affect.
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In four studies, the authors examined the correlates of the disposition toward gratitude. Study 1 revealed that self-ratings and observer ratings of the grateful disposition are associated with positive affect and well-being prosocial behaviors and traits, and religiousness/spirituality. Study 2 replicated these findings in a large nonstudent sample. Study 3 yielded similar results to Studies 1 and 2 and provided evidence that gratitude is negatively associated with envy and materialistic attitudes. Study 4 yielded evidence that these associations persist after controlling for Extraversion/positive affectivity, Neuroticism/negative affectivity, and Agreeableness. The development of the Gratitude Questionnaire, a unidimensional measure with good psychometric properties, is also described.
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According to gender role theory, women's greater emotional intensity than men's stems from normative expectations for sex differences that arise as a result of men's and women's social roles. In the 1st experiment, endorsement of normative expectations for sex differences was associated with sex differences in Ss' own emotions: To the extent that they endorsed stereotypical differences between men and women, female Ss reported personally experiencing emotions of greater intensity and male Ss reported experiencing emotions of lesser intensity. The 2nd study manipulated expectations for responsiveness while Ss viewed a series of emotion-inducing slides. When instructions rendered normative expectations comparable for men and women, no sex differences were obtained in emotion self-reports. Furthermore, women evidenced more extreme electromyograph physiological responding than men, suggesting general sex differences in emotion that are not limited to self-report.
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In this chapter a theory of motivation and emotion developed from an attributional perspective is presented. Before undertaking this central task, it might be beneficial to review the progression of the book. In Chapter 1 it was suggested that causal attributions have been prevalent throughout history and in disparate cultures. Studies reviewed in Chapter 2 revealed a large number of causal ascriptions within motivational domains, and different ascriptions in disparate domains. Yet some attributions, particularly ability and effort in the achievement area, dominate causal thinking. To compare and contrast causes such as ability and effort, their common denominators or shared properties were identified. Three causal dimensions, examined in Chapter 3, are locus, stability, and controllability, with intentionality and globality as other possible causal properties. As documented in Chapter 4, the perceived stability of a cause influences the subjective probability of success following a previous success or failure; causes perceived as enduring increase the certainty that the prior outcome will be repeated in the future. And all the causal dimensions, as well as the outcome of an activity and specific causes, influence the emotions experienced after attainment or nonattainment of a goal. The affects linked to causal dimensions include pride (with locus), hopelessness and resignation (with stability), and anger, gratitude, guilt, pity, and shame (with controllability).
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In this article, we attempt to distinguish between the properties of moderator and mediator variables at a number of levels. First, we seek to make theorists and researchers aware of the importance of not using the terms moderator and mediator interchangeably by carefully elaborating, both conceptually and strategically, the many ways in which moderators and mediators differ. We then go beyond this largely pedagogical function and delineate the conceptual and strategic implications of making use of such distinctions with regard to a wide range of phenomena, including control and stress, attitudes, and personality traits. We also provide a specific compendium of analytic procedures appropriate for making the most effective use of the moderator and mediator distinction, both separately and in terms of a broader causal system that includes both moderators and mediators. (46 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
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Tested theory that adherence to the traditional male gender role and help-seeking attitudes and behaviors are related. Ss were 401 undergraduate men who completed measures of help-seeking attitudes and behaviors, attitudes toward the stereotypic male role, and gender role conflict factors (i.e., success/power/competition, restrictive emotionality, and restrictive affectionate behavior between men). Canonical analysis and regression indicated that traditional attitudes about the male role, concern about expressing emotions, and concern about expressing affection toward other men were each significantly related to negative attitudes toward seeking professional psychological assistance. Restrictive emotionality also significantly predicted decreased past help-seeking behavior and decreased likelihood of future help seeking. The implications of these results for theory, research, and counseling practice are discussed.
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Positive psychology has flourished in the last 5 years. The authors review recent developments in the field, including books, meetings, courses, and conferences. They also discuss the newly created classification of character strengths and virtues, a positive complement to the various editions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (e. g., American Psychiatric Association, 1994), and present some cross-cultural findings that suggest a surprising ubiquity of strengths and virtues. Finally, the authors focus on psychological interventions that increase individual happiness. In a 6-group, random-assignment, placebo-controlled Internet study, the authors tested 5 purported happiness interventions and 1 plausible control exercise. They found that 3 of the interventions lastingly increased happiness and decreased depressive symptoms. Positive interventions can supplement traditional interventions that relieve suffering and may someday be the practical legacy of positive psychology.
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Positive psychology has flourished in the last 5 years. The authors review recent developments in the field, including books, meetings, courses, and conferences. They also discuss the newly created classification of character strengths and virtues, a positive complement to the various editions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (e. g., American Psychiatric Association, 1994), and present some cross-cultural findings that suggest a surprising ubiquity of strengths and virtues. Finally, the authors focus on psychological interventions that increase individual happiness. In a 6-group, random-assignment, placebo-controlled Internet study, the authors tested 5 purported happiness interventions and 1 plausible control exercise. They found that 3 of the interventions lastingly increased happiness and decreased depressive symptoms. Positive interventions can supplement traditional interventions that relieve suffering and may someday be the practical legacy of positive psychology.
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In this book, Joseph Pleck examines and analyzes the full body of research literature on the male role that has appeared since the 1930s and subjects it to a devastating critique. He identifies the components of the "male sex role paradigm" which has been the basis of research for the past forty years, and notes numerous instances of blatant misrepresentation of data, twisted reinterpretations of disconfirming results, misogyny, homophobia, and class bias. He proposes a new theory, the "sex role strain paradigm," offers a reinterpretation of sex role stereotyping, and a critique of research by sociobiologists that allegedly demonstrates a biological basis for male aggression.
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Social and personality correlates of crying relevant to clinical application were examined in the laboratory. The effects of gender and of gender-pairing on emotional expression of film-induced sadness were evaluated. College students served in pairs as experimental subjects. Results indicated that men retrospectively reported less crying than women, and that both male and female subjects reported more appropriate sex-stereotypic behavior (i.e., males cried less, females cried more) when in opposite-sex pairings. Correlational analyses indicated that females, unlike males, showed clear concordances between sadness and crying. Males, unlike females, evidenced negative correlations between reported anger and crying. Personality variables (including empathy, extraversion, femininity, ego strength, and prior levels of stress) were found to be associated with crying and sadness, although markedly different correlation patterns were seen for men and women. The findings collectively suggest that crying is associ...
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U.S. emotion culture contains beliefs that women are more emotional and emotionally expressive than men and that men and women differ in their experience and expression of specific emotions. Using data from the 1996 emotions module of the GSS, the authors investigate whether men and women differ in self-reports of feelings and expressive behavior, evaluating whether the patterns observed for men and women are consistent with cultural beliefs as well as predictions from two sociological theories about emotion and two sociological theories about gender. Surprisingly, self-reports do not support cultural beliefs about gender differences in the frequency of everyday subjective feelings in general. Men and women do, however, differ in the frequency of certain positive and negative feelings, which is explained by their difference in social position. The implications of the findings for theory and research on both gender and emotion are discussed.
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One consistent element of Western sex stereotypes is that women are emotional, whereas men are rational. This is also widely spread in psychology and defended by feminist authors who equate women's relationality with their emotionality. In this article the concept of `emotionality' is criticized and the assumption that women are generally more emotional than men is questioned. A large amount of empirical research on sex differences in emotions is reviewed, leading to the conclusion that the general idea that women are more emotional than men tells us more about Western sex stereotypes than about women's actual emotions.
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The present study was designed to test the assumption that gender differences in emotion expression are based on differences in the motives held by men and women in social interactions. Three hundred and fourteen students participated in this study by completing a questionnaire. Each questionnaire contained two vignettes that varied with respect to type of emotion (anger, disappointment, fear or sadness), sex of target, and object-target relationship. Dependent variables included measures of emotion expression and of motives for regulating one's emotions. The results support the general hypothesis that women are more concerned with relationships and less reluctant to express powerless emotions, whereas men are more motivated to stay in control and tend to express emotions that reflect their power.
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We investigated the relationship between the emotional states of gratitude and indebtedness in two studies. Although many have suggested that these affects are essentially equivalent, we submit that they are distinct emotional states. Following Heider (1958), we propose that with increasing expectations of return communicated with a gift by a benefactor, indebtedness should increase but gratitude should decrease. The results of two vignette studies supported this hypothesis, and patterns of thought/action tendencies showed these states to be distinct. In addition, we found that with increasing expectations communicated by a benefactor, beneficiaries reported that they would be less likely to help the benefactor in the future. Taken together, we argue that the debt of gratitude is internally generated, and is not analogous to an economic form of indebtedness.
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According to our social-role theory of gender and helping, the male gender role fosters helping that is heroic and chivalrous, whereas the female gender role fosters helping that is nurturant and caring. In social psychological studies, helping behavior has been examined in the context of short-term encounters with strangers. This focus has tended to exclude from the research literature those helping behaviors prescribed by the female gender role, because they are displayed primarily in long-term, close relationships. In contrast, the helping behaviors prescribed by the male gender role have been generously represented in research findings because they are displayed in relationships with strangers as well as in close relationships. Results from our meta-analytic review of sex differences in helping behavior indicate that in general men helped more than women and women received more help than men. Nevertheless, sex differences in helping were extremely inconsistent across studies and were successfully predicted by various attributes of the studies and the helping behaviors. These predictors were interpreted in terms of several aspects of our social-role theory of gender and helping.
Chapter
Psychology after World War II became a science largely devoted to healing. It concentrated on repairing damage using a disease model of human functioning. This almost exclusive attention to pathology neglected the idea of a fulfilled individual and a thriving community, and it neglected the possibility that building strength is the most potent weapon in the arsenal of therapy. The aim of positive psychology is to catalyze a change in psychology from a preoccupation only with repairing the worst things in life to also building the best qualities in life. To redress the previous imbalance, we must bring the building of strength to the forefront in the treatment and prevention of mental illness.
Book
In Passion and Reason, Lazarus draws on his four decades of pioneering research to bring readers the first book to move beyond both clinical jargon and feel-good’ popular psychology. In plain, accessible language, Lazarus explains how emotions are aroused, how they are managed, and how they critically shape our views of ourselves and the world around us. Dr Lazarus explores the latest findings on the short and long-term causes and effects of various emotions, including the often conflicting research on stress management and links between negative emotions and heart disease, cancer, and other aspects of physical and psychological health.
Book
I: Background.- 1. An Introduction.- 2. Conceptualizations of Intrinsic Motivation and Self-Determination.- II: Self-Determination Theory.- 3. Cognitive Evaluation Theory: Perceived Causality and Perceived Competence.- 4. Cognitive Evaluation Theory: Interpersonal Communication and Intrapersonal Regulation.- 5. Toward an Organismic Integration Theory: Motivation and Development.- 6. Causality Orientations Theory: Personality Influences on Motivation.- III: Alternative Approaches.- 7. Operant and Attributional Theories.- 8. Information-Processing Theories.- IV: Applications and Implications.- 9. Education.- 10. Psychotherapy.- 11. Work.- 12. Sports.- References.- Author Index.
Conference Paper
Stereotypes about gender and emotional expression tend to be imprecise and misleading. They fail to acknowledge situational, individual, and cultural variations in males' and females' emotional expressiveness. They also tend to generalize across emotional intensity and frequency, as well as across different modalities of emotional expression, e.g. verbal vs, behavioral modalities. Moreover they tend to exaggerate the extent of gender differences in emotional expression. I argue that when gender differences in emotional expression do occur they can be traced to social processes such as dissimilar gender roles, status and power imbalances, and differing socialization histories of males and females. These processes may predispose some males and females to express emotions differently in some cultures and in some contexts. To support this argument, I present data from two studies, one showing that the amount of time fathers spend with their children relates to the gender stereotypic nature of their children's emotional expressiveness; and the other showing that gender differences in emotional expressiveness are culturally specific in a sample of Asian international, Asian-American, and European-American college students. Finally I note the potentially destructive limitations imposed by stereotypes on males' and females' interpersonal functioning as well as on their mental and physical health.
Article
Gratitude, like other positive emotions, has inspired many theological and philosophical writings, but it has inspired very little vigorous, empirical research. In an effort to remedy this oversight, this book brings together prominent scientists from various disciplines to examine what has become known as the most-neglected emotion. The volume begins with the historical, philosophical, and theoretical foundations of gratitude, and then presents the current research perspectives from social, personality, and developmental psychology, as well as from primatology, anthropology, and biology. The volume also includes a comprehensive, annotated bibliography of research on gratitude. This work contributes a great deal to the growing positive psychology initiative and to the scientific investigation of positive human emotions. It will be an invaluable resource for researchers and students in social, personality, developmental, clinical, and health psychology, as well as to sociologists and cultural anthropologists.
Chapter
This chapter examines the feeling of being grateful. It suggests feeling grateful is similar to other positive emotions that help build a person's enduring personal resources and broaden an individual's thinking. It describes various ways by which gratitude can transform individuals, organizations, and communities in positive and sustaining ways. It discusses the specific benefits of gratitude including personal and social development, community strength and individual health and well-being.
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Gratitude is an emotional state and an attitude toward life that is a source of human strength in enhancing one's personal and relational well-being. In this article, we first explore the theological origins of gratitude as a virtue to be cultivated in the major monotheistic traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Each tradition emphasizes the development of gratitude as a path to a good life, and prescribes approaches for practicing. Gratitude is explored further in the context of psychological theory and research. Empirical research linking gratitude with well-being and goal attainment is presented and discussed. Finally, future research questions and a tentative research agenda are presented.
Book
An ACT Approach Chapter 1. What is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy? Steven C. Hayes, Kirk D. Strosahl, Kara Bunting, Michael Twohig, and Kelly G. Wilson Chapter 2. An ACT Primer: Core Therapy Processes, Intervention Strategies, and Therapist Competencies. Kirk D. Strosahl, Steven C. Hayes, Kelly G. Wilson and Elizabeth V. Gifford Chapter 3. ACT Case Formulation. Steven C. Hayes, Kirk D. Strosahl, Jayson Luoma, Alethea A. Smith, and Kelly G. Wilson ACT with Behavior Problems Chapter 4. ACT with Affective Disorders. Robert D. Zettle Chapter 5. ACT with Anxiety Disorders. Susan M. Orsillo, Lizabeth Roemer, Jennifer Block-Lerner, Chad LeJeune, and James D. Herbert Chapter 6. ACT with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Alethea A. Smith and Victoria M. Follette Chapter 7. ACT for Substance Abuse and Dependence. Kelly G. Wilson and Michelle R. Byrd Chapter 8. ACT with the Seriously Mentally Ill. Patricia Bach Chapter 9. ACT with the Multi-Problem Patient. Kirk D. Strosahl ACT with Special Populations, Settings, and Methods Chapter 10. ACT with Children, Adolescents, and their Parents. Amy R. Murrell, Lisa W. Coyne, & Kelly G. Wilson Chapter 11. ACT for Stress. Frank Bond. Chapter 12. ACT in Medical Settings. Patricia Robinson, Jennifer Gregg, JoAnne Dahl, & Tobias Lundgren Chapter 13. ACT with Chronic Pain Patients. Patricia Robinson, Rikard K. Wicksell, Gunnar L. Olsson Chapter 14. ACT in Group Format. Robyn D. Walser and Jacqueline Pistorello
Book
Friends are an integral part of our lives---they sometimes replace family relationships and often form the basis for romantic relationships. This book] examines how friends give meaning to our lives and why we rely so heavily on them. The book is process oriented and research based with each phase of the friendship process documented by empirical research. The result is a conceptual framework that illuminates the fascinating components of how we make friends, how we become close, how we maintain friends, and how friendships deteriorate and dissolve. This book] illustrates . . . the fact that, as a field of study, close relationships is maturing rapidly. This book will be a particular interest to students, practitioners, and researchers in social psychology, sociology, communication, family studies, and social work. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)(cover)
Article
Previous research has documented that specificemotions are differentially associated with women andmen. For example, sadness and happiness arestereotypically associated with girls and women, whereas anger and pride are stereotypically associatedwith men. The present research qualifies these previousfindings by establishing that gender-emotion stereotypesare context specific. Twenty-four scenarios were developed that depicted a target personover-or underreacting to happy, sad, or angry events ineither an interpersonal or an achievement context.Thirty-three female and 44 male Caucasian undergraduates judged how characteristic these reactions werefor women and men. The results demonstrated thatoverreactions to happyand sad events were morecharacteristic of women in the interpersonal context,but were more characteristic of men in the achievementcontext. Overreactions to angry scenarios, however, weremore characteristic of men, regardless of context. Theimplications of the context-dependent nature of gender-emotion stereotypes for men and womenare discussed.
Article
The purpose of this studywas to see if feeling grateful to God reduces the deleterious effects of stress on health in late life. In addition, an effort was made to test for gender differences in this process. Three main findings emerged from the analysis of data provided by a nationwide sample of older adults. First, the data suggest that olderwomen are more likely to feel grateful to God than older men. Second, the results revealed that the effects of stress (e.g., living in a deteriorated neighborhood) on health are reduced for older people who feel more grateful to God. Finally, the analyses indicated that the potentially important stress-buffering properties of gratitude toward God emerge primarily among older women but not older men.
Article
Being preoccupied with the pursuit of money, wealth, and material possessions arguably fails as a strategy to increase pleasure and meaning in life. However, little is known about the mechanisms that explain the inverse relation between materialism and well-being. The current study tested the hypothesis that experiential avoidance mediates associations between materialistic values and diminished emotional well-being, meaning in life, self-determination, and gratitude. Results indicated that people with stronger materialistic values reported more negative emotions and less relatedness, autonomy, competence, gratitude, and meaning in life. As expected, experiential avoidance fully mediated associations between materialistic values and each dimension of well-being. Emotional disturbances such as social anxiety and depressive symptoms failed to account for these findings after accounting for shared variance with experiential avoidance. The results are discussed in the context of alternative, more fulfilling routes to well-being.
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This study investigated whether positive emotion is differentially prescribed for men and women in self-and other-oriented contexts. Subjects read a scene in which the main character either did or did not express positive emotion toward either the self or another person. After imagining themselves as the main character, subjects rated on a rewards/costs scale how others would respond to them if they had behaved as depicted. Females expected more rewards/fewer costs when positive emotion was expressed toward another person than when it was not, whereas expected rewards/costs did not differ when females expressed and did not express self-directed positive emotion. Males expected more rewards/fewer costs when positive emotion was expressed than when it was not expressed in both self-and other-oriented contexts. Findings indicate that norms for expression of positive emotion are gender differentiated in that women are particularly required to express positive emotion toward others.