Acts of kindness and acts of novelty affect life satisfaction

J Soc Psychol. 2010 May-Jun;150(3):235-7. doi: 10.1080/00224540903365554.

Abstract

The present experiment was designed to establish the effects of acts of kindness and acts of novelty on life satisfaction. Participants aged 18-60 took part on a voluntary basis. They were randomly assigned to perform either acts of kindness, acts of novelty, or no acts on a daily basis for 10 days. Their life satisfaction was measured before and after the 10-day experiment. As expected, performing acts of kindness or acts of novelty resulted in an increase in life satisfaction.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Altruism*
  • Exploratory Behavior*
  • Female
  • Habituation, Psychophysiologic
  • Happiness
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Personal Satisfaction*
  • Young Adult