Expressions of gratitude, such as saying “Thank you! You are so kind!” or “Thanks! What you did was really helpful,” are common social gestures meant to acknowledge help and encourage kindness. However, recent research challenges the widely held belief that expressing gratitude always motivates people to help again in the future. Conducted by Lara B Aknin, Kristina K. Castaneto, and Tiara A Cash, the study published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology used rigorous pre-registered methods to explore how gratitude influences future helping behavior.

The researchers carried out two large experiments to examine if receiving gratitude affects subsequent acts of kindness. In one study involving over 600 university students, participants were thanked via video for welcoming a new student. Another group received a thank-you message in writing after donating to charity.

Results revealed that while expressions of gratitude increased donations in the written experiment, there was no significant difference in future helping between those thanked for their kind actions versus their kind character. Surprisingly, in the video experiment, gratitude had no effect on future helping at all. These findings suggest that the simple act of expressing appreciation may be more important than how it is worded.

Despite these mixed results, the authors emphasize the social value of saying thanks, noting that gratitude strengthens relationships and makes people feel good. They suggest that individuals need not worry about the perfect way to express gratitude, as any sincere acknowledgment is valuable.

This research highlights the importance of appreciation itself rather than its specific phrasing, encouraging people to share thanks freely without overthinking.

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