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Gratitude and well-being in older adults
Camillo Regalia
International Conference
Con il patrocinio di
Nutrire la memoria per nutrire le generazioni:
anziani attivi e benessere
In collaborazione con:
Feeding the memory to feed the generations:
active elders and well-being
11-12 Maggio 2015
GRATITUDE
“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but
the mother of all the others” (Cicerone)
Adam Smith “Theory of Moral Sentiments” (1790)
Feelings of gratitude are crucial for maintaining a society that is to be based
on goodwill

Analysis of the psychological factors governing most experiences and
expressions of gratitude

GRATITUDE
Relative neglect of gratitude in psychological literature
as a symptom of psychology's general tendency to
neglect many positive emotions
In the last decade, studies on gratitude dramatically
expanded
“Gratitude is a positive emotional response to a gift
received and it is felt toward other people or entities”
(Emmons,2004)
GRATITUDE IN PSYCHO-SOCIAL LITERATURE
Gratitude is strongly related to all aspects of well-being
(Wohl,2010)
Gratitude is both a response to moral behavior and a motivator
of moral behavior. People ("beneficiaries") respond with
gratitude when other people ("benefactors”) behave in a way
that promotes the beneficiaries' wellbeing.
Beneficiaries also act in ways that promote the well-being of
others when they themselves have been made grateful.
Expressing gratitude to one's benefactors stimulates the
benefactors to behave prosocially in the future.
GRATITUDE AND OLDER PEOPLE
Scarce empirical studies

Gratitude is linked to eudaimonic well-being and can be
learned
The study
1)
To test whether gratitude experienced by older adults
mediates the link between received help and given help in
family and social relationships, controlling for gender and
health
2)
To test whether experienced gratitude is likely to enhance
prosocial and civic engagement both directly and through
the impact on subjective well-being
THE STUDY (1)
Help
received in
the family
.64
.22
Help given
in the family
.17
GRATITUDE
.43
.47
.23
.12
Help
received by
others
.59
Help given
to others
STUDY: (1) GENDER DIFFERENCES
Help
received in
the family
.59
M=.17 F=.25
Help given
in the family
M=.50 %
F= .57 %
M=.27 F=ns
GRATITUDE
.37
.47
M=.19 F=ns
Help
received by
others
M=.64 F=.53
M=.28 F=.17
Help given
to others
M=.59 %
F= .34 %
STUDY (2):
.32
Gratitude
Subjective
satsifaction
.21
.14
Social and civic
engagement
CONCLUSIONS:
1. Gratitude mediates the link between help received and
given in the family and relational domains
The relational exchange of support is the result of joint social norms
and obligations and the moral affect of gratitude. Gratitude has wide
effects, promoting supportive behaviours above the effect of
reciprocity norms.
2. There are gender differences: the gratitude effects are
stronger for men, especially in family domain. No effects
of health status
CONCLUSIONS
3. Gratitude is also predictive of civic and social
engagement both directly and through the effect on
subjective well-being.
4.Promoting gratitude might be an effective way not only
to enhance older people well-being but also to improve
their active engagement in the family and social context