Be Happier with Gratitude and Optimism

Positive Psychology: Being Grateful & Optimistic Increases Happiness

Dec 30, 2008
Jerry Lopper

Gratitude and Happiness - Anonymous (q83 on SXC)

Positive psychology research findings on increasing happiness with gratitude, optimism, and kindness activities.

In a recent presentation to the International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA), noted positive psychologist and researcher Sonja Lyubomirsky reported on various studies of happiness. Dr. Lyubomirsky's research on kindness was previously reported in Positive Psychology Studies on Happiness. Acts of kindness are an effective intentional activity shown to bring greater happiness to the giver as well as benefiting the receiver of kindness.

This article describes her research findings on two more intentional happiness-increasing activities, gratitude and optimism.

Optimism and Happiness Study

In her study of the effect of optimism on happiness, Dr. Lyubomirsky's study group was instructed to write for fifteen minutes each week for eight weeks, each week writing about a vision of their best possible future selves. Before beginning the writing assignment, they were instructed to visualize their ideal romantic life of the future. A control group during this same interval was instructed to write about their activities over the past week.

Gratitude and Happiness Study

In the study of the impact of gratitude on happiness, Dr. Lyubomirsky's study group was instructed to recall an instance when someone did something for which they were extremely grateful. They were then instructed to write a letter of gratitude to that person. This activity was repeated for eight weeks, each week with a new gratitude letter. Again, a control group essentially journaled on the week's activities.

The Role of Motivation

These studies simultaneously measured the impact of motivation on study results. The motivated participants signed up because they were seeking greater happiness. A control group signed up simply to participate in cognitive studies.

Gratitude, Optimism, and Motivation Impact Happiness

Both intervention groups, those using gratitude and those using optimism showed increased happiness as measured by a composite well-being metric. These results persisted when measured six months after the study terminated.

Motivation is a critical factor in successfully improving happiness with either intervention, gratitude or optimism. Motivated study participants showed increased happiness immediately after the eight week study and also six months after the study ended.

The practical application of this finding is that happiness interventions are only effective for someone wishing to be happier.

Gratitude Is Effective

In this study, though the groups practicing gratitude and optimism both showed increased happiness, those practicing gratitude exercises had higher scores on well-being measures of happiness.

Cultural Differences

To test for cultural effects, Dr. Lyubomirsky's research team studied the gratitude and optimism exercises with Anglo-American and Asian-American participants. Asian-Americans showed smaller increases in happiness than Anglo-Americans, with those Asian-Americans practicing the gratitude interventions showing improved happiness, while those practicing the optimism exercises actually showed a small decrease in happiness. This probably reflects an Asian-American cultural difference on the acceptability of optimism.

Happiness with Relationships

An interesting result surfaced when Dr. Lyubomirsky's team measured the participant's happiness with their relationships. The Anglo-American study group's happiness with their relationships decreased while the Asian-American group's relationship measure increased. This is perhaps a reflection of cultural expectations.