Transcript Pay it Forward: Using Benefit Triggered Gratitude to Increase Interest and Motivation for a Gratitude Intervention Cosima Hoetger, Wendy Lozo, Daviana.

Pay it Forward: Using Benefit Triggered Gratitude to Increase Interest and Motivation for a Gratitude Intervention
Cosima Hoetger, Wendy Lozo, Daviana Garcia, Olivia Singleton & Rachel Hershberger / Faculty Advisors: Vann Scott & Wendy Wolfe
Gratitude has been conceptualized and defined as an attitude, a moral
virtue, a habit, an emotion, and a personality trait. Researchers’ definitions
have ranged from broad general definitions to narrow research specific
conceptualizations. Most recently, it has been discussed as existing at
multiple levels: as an affective trait (i.e., dispositional gratitude), as a mood
state, and as a momentary experience elicited by daily experience
(McCullough, Tsang, & Emmons, 2004).
Gratitude has been shown to influence pro-social behaviors, strengthen
social bonds, and induce a sense of coherence. It has also been found to
be associated with lower levels of PTSD and depressive symptoms
(Lambert, Graham, & Fincham. 2009). As a result of these benefits,
gratitude interventions have been developed, including gratitude
meditations, gratitude lists, and gratitude letters. In research on the efficacy
of gratitude interventions, Seligman, Steen, Park, & Peterson (2005)
compared a “counting blessings” (i.e., gratitude list) intervention with a
gratitude visit (i.e., writing a reading a gratitude letter). The letter was
associated with the greatest initial (1 month) decrease in depressive
symptoms. The counting blessings intervention was associated with more
lasting change in depression (6 months). However, this was contingent on
continued use of the intervention. Lyubomirsky, Dickerhoof, Boehm, &
Sheldon (2011) compared the efficacy of an optimism intervention (“best
possible selves”), a gratitude intervention (gratitude letter), and a control
task. They found that participants in the optimism and gratitude
interventions experienced improvements in well-being after the 8-week
intervention, but only if they self-selected into the study (i.e., were
interested in participating in a “happiness” study, as opposed to a
“cognitive” study) and if they actually practiced the interventions.
Based on these findings, it appears that gratitude interventions can be
helpful, but only if the person is interested and willing to engage in them.
One way to increase interest and willingness may be to activate a feeling of
gratitude, such that the individual feels motivated to “pay it forward” by
expressing feelings of appreciation to someone else. Benefit triggered
gratitude is “the emotion that results from an interpersonal transfer of a
benefit from a beneficiary to a benefactor” (Lambert et al., 2009). Our study
examines if benefit-triggered gratitude can affect participants’ willingness to
engage in a gratitude intervention. We also explore the interaction between
dispositional gratitude and the effects of the benefit-triggered gratitude
intervention (McCullough, Emmons, & Tsang, 2002).
Method
Our study was split up into two separate sessions. During Session 1
(administered on-line using Survey Monkey), the Dispositional Gratitude
Scale, Satisfaction with Life Scale, Social Desirability Scale, ScottMacIntosh Rumination Inventory, Subjective Happiness Scale, SelfConsciousness Scale, Positive and Negative Affect Scale, and an
anxiety/depression screening questionnaire were administered. We then
randomly assigned participants into three conditions: Benefactor,
Beneficiary, and Control.
Pilot Study Results
A pilot study was conducted in Fall, 2011 (N = 11 participants) to test the
effectiveness of the experimental manipulation on experienced gratitude
and interest in completing a gratitude intervention. A one-way ANOVA was
conducted on the number of items written on the gratitude list. There was
an effect of condition on the number of gratitude list items that approached
statistical significance, F(2,10)= 3.550, p= .079, suggesting that the
benefit-triggered gratitude manipulation did perform as expected (see
below). In the pilot, participant interest/motivation was assessed via an
item that asked participants to rate their interest in writing a gratitude letter
to someone who has made a difference in their life. The graph of the mean
ratings across condition (below) illustrated a trend of higher interest among
participants in the Benefactor condition. However, the similar ratings
across conditions [F(2,10)= 1.246, p= .338] underscored the need for a more
sensitive measure of actual motivation to engage in the activity. Hence, a
behavioral task (actually writing a letter) was used in the full study.
7
6.5
Following the manipulation of benefit-triggered gratitude, measures of
experienced gratitude were administered in a counter-balanced order.
The Lexical Decision Task requires participants to quickly distinguish
between word and non-words. Embedded in the series of neutral words are
gratitude-related words. Greater accuracy and reaction time to gratituderelated words is an indication that the benefit-triggered gratitude
manipulation activated schemas related to the construct at an implicit level.
The gratitude list asks participants to enumerate (in 10 min.) the things they
are grateful for. A greater number of items listed, and a higher (more
descriptive) word count illustrates experienced gratitude at an explicit level
of awareness. Next, participants complete a series of manipulation check
measures and a demographic questionnaire. Finally, we ask our
participants to write an Optional Gratitude Letter.
Mean of interest
Introduction
Session Two was then conducted in the Psychology Department.
Participants were asked to complete two timed tasks along with another
participant (actually a research confederate). Instructions were provided in
completing a Block Design Task from the WISC-III and a Trail Making Task
(both used as distractor tasks in our study). In the Beneficiary condition, the
participant lacked lead in his or her pencil and must receive a pencil from
the confederate. In the Benefactor condition, the confederate lacked lead in
his or her pencil, prompting assistance from the participant. In the control
condition, both participant and confederate completed the tasks with
properly functioning pencils.
6
5.5
5
control
benefactor
beneficiary
condition
Conclusion
Data collection on this project will continue through Summer, 2012. Should
the hypotheses be supported, results would suggest that there are
methods for improving compliance with gratitude interventions, which past
research has found to be critical for the efficacy of such beneficial
interventions. Although we are examining benefit-triggered gratitude as
one way of heightening interest and compliance with gratitude
interventions, other methods might also be explored in future
investigations.
Key References
Hypotheses
1. Compliance with the optional gratitude task (gratitude letter) will be greatest
in the Beneficiary condition, least in the Control condition, and with the
Benefactor condition in between.
2. Momentary gratitude as assessed via the Lexical Decision Task and the
Gratitude List will be highest in the Beneficiary condition, lowest in the
Control condition, and with the Benefactor condition in between.
3. Dispositional gratitude will have a significant interaction with the above
results, such that individuals high in trait gratitude will experience the
strongest effects from the benefit-triggered gratitude manipulation.
For further information, contact: Vann Scott, [email protected] or Wendy Wolfe, [email protected]
Lambert, N.L., Graham, S., & Fincham, F.D. (2009). A prototype analysis
of gratitude: Varieties of gratitude experiences. Personality and Social
Psychology Bulletin, 35, 1193-1207.
Lyubomirsky, S., Dickerhoof, R., Boehm, J. K., & Sheldon, K. M. (2011).
Becoming happier takes both a will and a way.. Emotion, 11, 391-402.
McCullough, M. E., Emmons, R. A., & Tsang, J. (2002). The grateful
disposition: A conceptual and empirical topography. Journal of Personality
and Social Psychology, 82, 112-127.
Seligman, Martin E. P.; Steen, Tracy A.; Park, Nansook; Peterson,
Christopher (2005). Positive Psychology Progress: Validation of
Interventions. American Psychologist, Vol 60(5), Jul-Aug 2005, 410-421.