Looking on the bright side of life

Gratitude and experiences of interpersonal transgressions in adulthood and daily life

Bibliographic Data

ID19281182
AuthorsMirjam Stieger (0000-0002-9426-6445, Department of Psychology and University Research Priority Program “Dynamics of Healthy Aging” University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland, corresponding author), Patrick L Hill (0000-0001-5902-6051, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences Washington University in St. Louis St. Louis Missouri), Mathias Allemand (0000-0002-1978-2044, Department of Psychology and University Research Priority Program “Dynamics of Healthy Aging” University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland)
Year2020
Volume88
Issue3
Pages430-446
Publication date2020-06-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Personality (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0022-3506 • E-ISSN: 1467-6494
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/jopy.12501
PMID31309550
OpenAlexW2957987885
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited77

OBJECTIVE: Gratitude plays an important role in individual and social well-being. However, less is known about the link between gratitude and experiences of interpersonal stressors. The current research examined the associations between gratitude and interpersonal transgressions. METHOD: One cross-sectional study with a broad age range and two daily diary studies (total N = 2,348; total age range: 18-91) were used to test the associations on the between- and within-person level. RESULTS: A consistent result across all studies was that dispositionally grateful individuals tended to report fewer interpersonal transgressions than less grateful people. In turn, people who generally reported more interpersonal transgressions were less grateful in daily life. Moreover, higher gratitude on one specific day was associated with fewer reported transgressions on the same day. However, the results from the daily diary studies indicated differences between the samples. Whereas gratitude was consistently associated with interpersonal transgressions in one daily diary sample, the findings in the second daily diary sample were less consistent. CONCLUSION: The present findings suggest that grateful people tend to perceive their social exchanges differently and/or actually experience fewer interpersonal transgressions. Future work is needed to test the underlying mechanisms of this negative association

Developmental psychology · Gratitude · Interpersonal communication · Interpersonal relationship · Stressor · Test (biology) · Clinical Psychology · Cultural Differences and Values · Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions · Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction · Psychology · Social Psychology

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