A prototype analysis of gratitude: varieties of gratitude experiences.

Full Abstract

The present research tested the hypothesis that concepts of gratitude are prototypically organized and explored whether lay concepts of gratitude are broader than researchers' concepts of gratitude. In five studies, evidence was found that concepts of gratitude are indeed prototypically organized. In Study 1, participants listed features of gratitude. In Study 2, participants reliably rated the centrality of these features. In Studies 3a and 3b, participants perceived that a hypothetical other was experiencing more gratitude when they read a narrative containing central as opposed to peripheral features. In Study 4, participants remembered more central than peripheral features in gratitude narratives. In Study 5a, participants generated more central than peripheral features when they wrote narratives about a gratitude incident, and in Studies 5a and 5b, participants generated both more specific and more generalized types of gratitude in similar narratives. Throughout, evidence showed that lay conceptions of gratitude are broader than current research definitions.

Author information

Author/s: Lambert, Nathaniel M (NM); Graham, Steven M (SM); Fincham, Frank D (FD);

Affiliation: Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA. nlambert(-atsign-)fsu.edu

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: Personality and social psychology bulletin (Pers Soc Psychol Bull), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Sep; vol 35 (issue 9) : pp 1193-207

Dates: Created 2009/07/31; Completed 2009/09/28;

PMID: 19581434, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 9/28/2009, IMS Date: )

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