Gratitude reduces consumption of depleting resources.

Abstract

Sustaining finite public resources presents a dilemma between acting in self-interest for present benefit versus working toward long-term collective gain. Given gratitude’s links to prosociality and self-control, the present studies investigated whether gratitude would promote sustainable resource extraction under conditions of rapidly depleting resources. In Study 1 (N = 155), participants were randomly assigned to experience an emotional state (gratitude or neutral) prior to playing a resource dilemma game in which the common pool was manipulated to indicate either a sustained or depleting resource status. Neutral participants increased their point taking when the pool was depleting compared with when it was sustained; however, this pattern was not observed for grateful participants. Study 2 (N = 224) replicated these findings while also showing the effect of gratitude to be distinct from happiness. These findings show that gratitude, as opposed to a general positive emotional state, buffers against overtaking in resource dilemmas and suggests that this emotion may be useful in promoting sustainable behavior.

Longitudinal associations between inhibitory control, gratitude, and positive parenting during early childhood.

“…DeSteno et al (2019) conducted a behavioral experiment both in an online and a laboratory setting, indicating that participants in a grateful state of mind exhibited fewer impulsive behaviors compared to those in the neutral and happiness groups. Individuals in a state of gratitude tended to exhibit less energy-wasting behavior (Kates & DeSteno, 2021), which suggested self-control regarding energy use. Inhibitory control contributes significantly to disciplined behavior by enabling individuals to resist impulsive actions.…”

Explicit and Implicit Affective Attitudes toward Sustainability: The Role of Mindfulness, Heartfulness, Connectedness to Nature and Prosocialness

“…It has been shown that gratitude promotes sustainable resource extraction under the condition of rapidly depleting resources (Kates & DeSteno, 2021). A generally positive emotional state could not explain this effect; therefore, gratitude might help producing sustainable behavior.…”

Psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Trait Gratitude to Nature Scale

“…Previous studies have shown that gratitude, as a transpersonal positive emotion, can motivate individuals to take a long-term development vision in economic decisions or tasks that require self-control, such as intertemporal decision-making and public goods games ( DeSteno et al, 2014 ; Kates and DeSteno, 2021 ). Grateful individuals would delay immediate gain, promote sustainability and reduce the over-consumption of public resources ( DeSteno et al, 2014 ; Kates and DeSteno, 2021 ).…”

“…Previous studies have shown that gratitude, as a transpersonal positive emotion, can motivate individuals to take a long-term development vision in economic decisions or tasks that require self-control, such as intertemporal decision-making and public goods games ( DeSteno et al, 2014 ; Kates and DeSteno, 2021 ). Grateful individuals would delay immediate gain, promote sustainability and reduce the over-consumption of public resources ( DeSteno et al, 2014 ; Kates and DeSteno, 2021 ). Recent studies have indicated that participants’ gratitude to nature can expand the function of gratitude for the sustainable use of economic resources to the function of preserving natural resources ( Naito et al, 2010 ; Zelenski and Desrochers, 2021 ; Jacobs, 2022 ; Tam, 2022 ).…”