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Gratitude Intervention Evokes Indebtedness: Moderated by Perceived Social Distance
Wuming He1,2, Junjie Qiu1,2, Yingying Chen3,4
1Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Development and Education for Special Needs Children, Zhanjiang, China.
Gratitude interventions can evoke indebtedness, especially when directed towards others. However, the effect of gratitude on indebtedness is moderated by social distance, influencing emotional responses in adolescents.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Emotional Science
Background:
- Previous research indicates gratitude interventions may induce indebtedness in interdependent societies.
- The role of social distance in moderating this effect requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine how perceived social distance moderates the impact of gratitude interventions on felt indebtedness among adolescents.
- To explore the relationship between gratitude, indebtedness, and social connectedness.
Main Methods:
- A study involving 275 adolescents randomly assigned to three conditions: writing gratitude to significant others, to their own health, or a control group.
- Participants completed emotion ratings (including gratitude and indebtedness) and reported perceived social distance.
Main Results:
- Writing gratitude to significant others led to felt indebtedness irrespective of social distance.
- Writing gratitude for one's own health or the control condition resulted in less indebtedness as social distance decreased.
- Gratitude levels increased with perceived social connectedness across all conditions.
Conclusions:
- The findings highlight the complex interplay between gratitude, indebtedness, and social distance in adolescent emotional experiences.
- Gratitude interventions directed towards others may have different psychological outcomes than those focused on self-benefit or general well-being.
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