A Prototype Analysis of Self-Gratitude: Towards a Broadening of the Concept of Gratitude

Guillaume Tachon, Aïcha Rouibah, Blaire Morgan and Rebecca Shankland ()
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Guillaume Tachon: Université Lumière Lyon 2
Aïcha Rouibah: Université Claude-Bernard
Blaire Morgan: University of Worcester
Rebecca Shankland: Université Lumière Lyon 2

Journal of Happiness Studies, 2022, vol. 23, issue 5, No 5, 1867-1885

Abstract: Abstract In the past two decades, gratitude has been shown to be closely related to mental health and well-being. However, there is no consensus about its definition, and self-gratitude was hastily dismissed. This research aimed to analyze how self-gratitude is considered by laypersons. We conducted three online studies to test the hypothesis according to which self-gratitude is prototypically organized. In Study 1, participants (N = 152) listed the features of self-gratitude: 55 categories emerged from the data processing. In Study 2, participants (N = 146) significantly distinguished the features according to their degree of centrality. In Study 3 (N = 108), the analysis showed that the centrality of features influenced cognition through a recognition task. The results provide preliminary evidence of the internal structure of self-gratitude. Overall, this study showed the lay conceptions, allowing us to define self-gratitude as acknowledgment and appreciation of meaningful benefits involving the self.

Keywords: Self-gratitude; Prototype analysis; Gratitude; Positive psychology; General population (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1007/s10902-021-00475-1

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