The Amazing Effects of Gratitude

Summary

The script explores the concept of gratitude, historically considered the mother of all virtues by Cicero and later defined by Thomas Brown as a delightful emotion. While not a basic emotion with a universal expression, gratitude has been scientifically studied for its positive effects on well-being. Studies show that expressing gratitude can increase happiness and improve health, with benefits such as reduced stress and better heart health. The script also highlights that some individuals may be genetically predisposed to feel more gratitude, suggesting it plays a role in maintaining close social bonds.

Takeaways

• 📚 Gratitude has been a longstanding concept in both religion and philosophy, with Cicero referring to it as the mother of all virtues.
• 🎓 The Scottish philosopher Thomas Brown defined gratitude in 1820 as a delightful emotion of love towards those who have done us a kindness.
• 🧬 Scientifically, gratitude is not classified as a basic emotion like joy or anger, lacking a universal facial expression.
• 📚 The Oxford Dictionary's modern definition of gratitude emphasizes thankfulness and the appreciation of kindness.
• 🔬 Only in the past 30 years have we begun to study gratitude scientifically, with a 2015 study examining brain activity related to gratitude.
• 🧠 Brain imaging studies have shown that feelings of gratitude are linked to areas of the brain involved in fairness and value judgments.
• 📈 Research indicates that expressing gratitude can have tangible benefits, such as increased happiness and improved heart health.
• 📝 Writing down things for which one is grateful can lead to a sustained increase in happiness levels over time.
• 💖 Gratitude can also improve the quality of sleep and heart health, potentially due to its stress-reducing effects.
• 🧬 Some individuals may be genetically predisposed to experience and express gratitude more readily, influenced by oxytocin levels.
• ❤️ The act of expressing gratitude can strengthen social bonds and contribute to overall well-being.

Q & A

What did the philosopher Cicero describe gratitude as in Ancient Rome?

Cicero described gratitude as the mother of all virtues.

How did Scottish philosopher Thomas Brown define gratitude in 1820?

Thomas Brown defined gratitude as 'that delightful emotion, of love to him who has conferred a kindness on us.'

Why doesn't gratitude qualify as a basic emotion scientifically?

Gratitude doesn't qualify as a basic emotion because there is no universal facial expression associated with it.

What is the current definition of gratitude according to the Oxford Dictionary?

The Oxford Dictionary defines gratitude as 'the quality or condition of being thankful; the appreciation of an inclination to return kindness.'

How long have we been studying gratitude scientifically?

We have only really started studying gratitude scientifically in the past 30 years.

What was the premise of the 2015 study involving participants' brain activity in an fMRI machine?

The 2015 study asked participants to imagine how they would feel if a complete stranger saved their life and to rate their gratitude towards strangers who provided them with gifts of food and clothing while their brain was scanned in an fMRI machine.

What did the 2015 study find about the correlation between gratitude and brain activity?

The study found that participants' ratings of gratitude positively correlated with activity in brain areas associated with fairness and value judgments.

What were the benefits found in a study where people wrote down three things that went well each day for a week?

At the end of the week, people were slightly happier than at the beginning, and their happiness scores continued to improve, with a 5% increase after one month and a 9% increase after six months.

How did a gratitude journal impact participants with heart disease in another study?

The study found that keeping a gratitude journal increased the heart health and quality of sleep of participants with heart disease, possibly due to reduced stress.

What role does oxytocin play in the expression of gratitude, according to a recent study?

The study found that people with a particular genetic variation affecting oxytocin secretion expressed more gratitude towards their partners, suggesting that oxytocin plays a significant role in promoting close social bonds and gratitude acts as a bonding force.

What does the script suggest about the impact of expressing gratitude on our mind, body, and relationships?

The script suggests that expressing gratitude has amazing benefits for our mind, body, and relationships, making people happier and healthier.