Paying it Forward: A Review of the Influence of Gratitude on Prosocial Behavior

Gratitude is regarded as a prosocial emotion as it strengthens interpersonal connections. Touted as a moral virtue in philosophy for millennia, psychology has only made recent strides in unraveling its role in human nature. It is conceptualized as a state of recognition of an unearned benefit, bonding individuals through its appreciation. As such, it maintains the cycle of reciprocity that human cooperation is built upon, turning selfish receivers into selfless givers. Yet the full picture of gratitude and the nature of its prosocial functions remains scant in empirical literature. Future work is needed to gather evidence for the interplay of social and individual mechanisms that promote prosocial behavior in positive psychology, and explore correlates of gratitude and prosocial behavior.