Being thankful or grateful is often described as an emotion, feeling, or attitude. But there is an argument to be made that being thankful is more of a reaction or response to something rather than simply an internal state. In this article, we will explore both sides of this debate and look at evidence from psychology, neuroscience, and philosophy to try to determine if thankfulness is best categorized as a reaction.
What is meant by “thankful”
First, it is important to define precisely what we mean by “thankful.” The Merriam-Webster dictionary provides two relevant definitions of thankful:
- Conscious of benefit received.
- Expressing gratitude.
So being thankful involves both an internal feeling of gratitude for something you have received or benefited from, as well as outwardly expressing this gratitude in some way, usually towards the source of the benefit. It is this dual nature of thankfulness that leads to debate over whether it is a reaction/response or simply an emotion/state.
The argument for thankful as an emotion
There are several reasons why thankful is often described as an emotion or attitude:
- It is an internal subjective feeling that is not necessarily visible to outside observers.
- Like other emotions such as happiness or sadness, we talk about people “feeling thankful.”
- Thankfulness is often lumped together with other positive emotions like appreciation, gratitude, and contentment.
- Experiencing and cultivating thankfulness is seen as emotionally and psychologically healthy.
- People can feel thankful without expressing it outwardly.
In essence, the view of thankfulness as an emotion comes from its internal, subjective qualities that are similar to our experience of other emotions like joy or anger. Even if thankfulness motivates outward expression, the inner experience of gratitude and appreciation is seen as the core component.
The psychology and neuroscience of thankfulness
Psychological research on gratitude and thankfulness supports the idea that it is an internal emotion with real effects on well-being. Studies show that people who cultivate thankfulness tend to be happier, less depressed, less stressed, and more satisfied with life. The benefits seem to come from the positive cognitive shifts that thankfulness brings about.
Neuroimaging studies also show that feelings of gratitude activate reward and motivation regions of the brain like the ventral striatum and medial prefrontal cortex. This suggests a biological basis for why thankfulness feels good.
Overall, the psychological and neuroscientific evidence demonstrates that thankfulness has many properties of a typical internal emotional state or attitude.
The argument for thankful as a reaction
Despite the evidence above, there are also reasons why thankfulness is better understood as a reaction or response:
- It is always directed at something – you feel thankful for a benefit received or good outcome.
- It motivates expression and action – gratitude often motivates prosocial or reciprocal behavior.
- It usually has an external trigger – something happens to make you feel thankful.
- It communicates something to another person or entity if expressed.
- It serves social functions like strengthening relationships or encouraging future benefits.
Whereas emotions like happiness or sadness can be triggered internally, thankfulness seems to always require an external cause that we are responding to with gratitude. It is more outward-focused rather than just an internal state.
Philosophical perspectives
Some philosophers like Friedrich Nietzsche have characterized gratitude and thankfulness as essentially transactional reactions where a person repays a kindness or benefit.
Adam Smith also viewed gratitude as a vital social emotion that motivates reciprocity after receiving a favor. The function of thankfulness is to communicate that a benefit was received and repay social debts.
This philosophical perspective sees thankfulness not just as an internal feeling but as a tool of etiquette and social cohesion. From this lens, its role as a reaction is essential.
Evidence that thankfulness is a reaction
The fact that gratitude motivates reciprocal, communicative behavior in multiple studies strongly suggests it is a reaction to benefits received rather than just an isolated internal emotional state. Some key evidence includes:
- People are more likely to help or provide favors for someone after receiving expressions of gratitude from them.
- Gratitude in relationships tends to be reciprocal – when one partner expresses more thankfulness, the other partner reciprocates.
- Thankfulness motivates gift-giving and paying back favors or debts.
- More grateful people are rated as more prosocial and agreeable by peers.
The table below summarizes key findings on the behavioral effects of thankfulness:
| Study | Effects of Thankfulness |
|---|---|
| A 2004 experiment by psychologist Sara Algoe | Participants who received an expression of gratitude were more likely to help the expresser by fulfilling a special favor. |
| A 2010 study led by Nathaniel Lambert | Feeling and expressing gratitude strengthened connections between romantic partners and increased relationship satisfaction. |
| A 2014 study by Lalin Anik | Participants reported they would be more likely to reciprocate gifts from a giver who expressed gratitude versus one who did not. |
This type of motivational and communicative role points to thankfulness serving as a beneficial social reaction more than just an internal feeling.
Potential counterarguments
There are some potential counterarguments that thankfulness does not have to always involve reciprocal behavior or expression:
- People can feel thankful without expressing it externally or behaving differently.
- Thankfulness towards non-human entities like nature or God may not motivate reciprocal action.
- Cultural norms around expressing thankfulness vary widely.
However, even if thankfulness does not always lead outward behavior, the key points are that it is goal-directed toward a source of benefit and serves an interpersonal role of acknowledging receipt of benefit from others. The capacity to motivate reciprocation or expression reinforces this directed, communicative aspect.
Conclusions
In summary, while thankfulness does involve subjective feelings of gratitude and appreciation, the preponderance of evidence points to it having the properties of a reaction or response as much or more than an isolated inner emotional state. Reasons to categorize thankfulness as a reaction include:
- It requires an external trigger and is directed at the source of a benefit.
- It motivates expression and reciprocal actions.
- It serves social functions like strengthening bonds.
- Philosophical traditions emphasize the reciprocal and transactional nature of thankfulness.
So in response to the initial question “Is thankfulness a reaction?”, while psychological data shows it has emotion-like properties, overall it fits better as a response to having received something rather than a purely internally generated feeling. This understanding of thankfulness as a reaction also helps explain its consistent social benefits in relationships and well-being.