The concept of gratitude seems emotional or moral, hardly connected to the hard facts of science. Indeed, gratitude is at the core world religions, as noted in this article.
However, there are several ongoing scientific initiatives investigating gratitude's basis and benefits for health and well-being.
The Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley—in collaboration with the University of California, Davis—launched a multiyear project Expanding the Science and Practice of Gratitude. That project sought to:
They’re finding that people who practice gratitude consistently report benefits:
Meanwhile, on this page, you can read abstracts and high-level summaries for 26 prominent research studies of gratitude. And here is a report about the many measurable benefits kids receive from an intentional gratitude practice.
On Labocine, we have many films that confront the foundations of gratitude - memory, relationships, the necessary deaths that give us life. Enjoy them in this Spotlight - and thank you for reading.
