Some things aren't better left unsaid: Interpersonal barriers to gratitude expression and prosocial engagement

Abstract

Gratitude promotes well-being, but people may not express it even when they feel it. A core aspect of rational behavior is that people make decisions based on the expected value of their actions. While acting on expectations may be rational, the choices one makes may not be optimal if those expectations are misguided. Because people underestimate the benefit and overestimate the cost of expressing gratitude, miscalibrated predictions can create a misplaced barrier to gratitude expression. These mistaken beliefs about interpersonal interactions stem partly from a perspective-based asymmetry between actors and targets. The propensity to undervalue one's positive impact on others may reflect a broader tendency that undermines prosociality in daily life - to the detriment of one's own, and others', well-being.

Keywords: Gratitude; Happiness; Prosocial behavior; Social cognition; Well-being.