There is a variety of things that can conjure positive feelings of appreciation or gratitude that may guide people towards meaning and better health.
“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Emerson offers a helpful introduction into what practicing gratitude can look like, and this article will begin there and explore the current psychological research behind this value.
Gratitude is an emotion similar to appreciation, and positive psychology research has found neurological reasons why so many people can benefit from this general practice of expressing thanks for our lives, even in times of challenge and change.
To begin though, we need to define what we mean by “gratitude.”
What is Gratitude?
Many of us express gratitude by saying “thank you” to someone who has helped us or given us a gift. From a scientific perspective, however, gratitude is not just an action: it is also a positive emotion that serves a biological purpose.
Positive psychology defines gratitude in a way where scientists can measure its effects, and thus argue that gratitude is more than feeling thankful: it is a deeper appreciation for someone (or something) that produces longer lasting positivity.
Before continuing with that definition, we offer 10 definitions to provide a cultural context for how the word has changed over time.
According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, gratitude is simply “the state of being grateful.”
The Harvard Medical School provides more detail, writing that gratitude is: “a thankful appreciation for what an individual receives, whether tangible or intangible. With gratitude, people acknowledge the goodness in their lives … As a result, gratitude also helps people connect to something larger than themselves as individuals–whether to other people, nature, or a higher power”
This provides a more helpful context, leading us into the next definition from psychiatry researchers, who define gratitude as: "the appreciation of what is valuable and meaningful to oneself and represents a general state of thankfulness and/or appreciation”
Researchers also offer this definition: “an emotion that is typically evoked when one receives costly, unexpected, and intentionally rendered benefits, and is thought to play a key role in regulating the initiation and maintenance of social relationships”
Another simple definition of gratitude that comes from psychology research is: “a social emotion that signals our recognition of the things others have done for us”
This definition is important because it brings a social element into the definition of gratitude. The social aspect of gratitude from this theologian says: “if we acquire a good through exchange, effort or achievement, or by right, then we don’t typically feel gratitude. Gratitude is an emotion we feel in response to receiving something good which is undeserved”
Another definition emphasizing its social aspect comes from social psychology researchers, who claim that: “gratitude is a positively valenced emotion that can arise when another person–a benefactor–does something kind for the self"
One morality-based psychologist writes that: “gratitude is not goods delivered in response to payment. It is a response to a gift … Gratitude, as a response to a gift, is also a form of generosity, of graciously crediting the other for something that was not strictly owed”
To understand further, Robert Emmons offers his psychological research definition on the topic that gratitude: “has been conceptualized as an emotion, a virtue, a moral sentiment, a motive, a coping response, a skill, and an attitude. It is all of these and more. Minimally, gratitude is an emotional response to a gift. It is the appreciation felt after one has been the beneficiary of an altruistic act”
Emmons explains gratitude deeper in another paper. He (and his coauthor Robin Stern) say that: "gratitude has a dual meaning: a worldly one and a transcendent one. In its worldly sense, gratitude is a feeling that occurs in interpersonal exchanges when one person acknowledges receiving a valuable benefit from another. Gratitude is a cognitive-affective state that is typically associated with the perception that one has received a personal benefit that was not intentionally sought after, deserved, or earned but rather because of the good intentions of another person”
We hope these definitions of gratitude provide a psychological, social, and religious context for this positive emotion. Whether you agree with all the definitions or identify with one, we are now equipped to delve into its greater role in our health and daily lives.
In summary, gratitude is a positive emotion felt after being the beneficiary of some sort of gift. It is also a social emotion often directed towards a person (the giver of a gift) or felt towards a higher power.
Key Synonyms
There are many synonyms of gratitude, including:
acknowledgment;
appreciativeness;
gracefulness;
gratefulness;
praise;
recognition;
requital;
responsiveness; and
thankfulness.
Acknowledgment, appreciativeness, and thankfulness are most relatable for the purpose of this article.
Antonyms of Gratitude
The obvious antonym of gratitude is ingratitude, but other antonyms include:
censure;
condemnation;
thanklessness; and
ungratefulness.
Many people are not appreciative despite being the beneficiary of an altruistic act. Can you think of a time when you felt this? Most people can. It is not a pleasant experience for anyone.
Thanklessness deprives people of the emotional rewards of gratitude, and this article hopes to offer tangible ways on how to cultivate a more appreciative state of being.
Two Stages of Gratitude
According to Dr. Robert Emmons, the feeling of gratitude involves two stages (2003):
First comes the acknowledgment of goodness in one’s life. In a state of gratitude, we say yes to life. We affirm that all in all, life is good, and has elements that make worth living, and rich in texture. The acknowledgment that we have received something gratifies us, both by its presence and by the effort the giver put into choosing it.
Second, gratitude is recognizing that some of the sources of this goodness lie outside the self. One can be grateful to other people, to animals, and to the world, but not to oneself. At this stage, we recognize the goodness in our lives and who to thank for it, ie., who made sacrifices so that we could be happy?
The two stages of gratitude comprise the recognition of the goodness in our lives, and then how this goodness came to us externally lies. By this process, we recognize the luck of everything that makes our lives—and ourselves—better.
Purpose of This Emotion
People can use gratitude to form new social relations or to strengthen current ones.
Acts of gratitude can be used to apologize, make amends and help solve other problems.
Alternatively, people may feel gracious because it can be an intrinsically rewarding process. Simply being grateful for being alive is a great way to motivate oneself to seize the day.
The idea that tomorrow is not guaranteed is a strong motivator for some people to be their “best self” today.
Why Gratitude Works
Gratitude is a selfless act. Its acts are done unconditionally, to show to people that they are appreciated. “A gift that is freely given” is one way to understand what these acts are like.
For example, if someone is sad and you write them a note of appreciation, you are likely not asking for something in return for this person; instead, you are reminding them of their value, and expressing gratitude for their existence. At the moment, you are not waiting for a “return note” from this person.
Even when we do not expect a return, sometimes they happen. Gratitude can be contagious, in a good way. In the previous example, maybe when you are down, this person will write you a note too.
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