The role of actors, targets, and witnesses: Examining gratitude exchanges in a social context

Gratitude science often conflates the processes of actors recalling and sharing gratitude, as well neglecting to study targets (benefactors receiving gratitude) witnesses (those witnessing gratitude). We explored roles (actors, targets, witnesses) (recalling, sharing, receiving, witnessing) involved in gratitude exchanges. In Study 1, undergraduate students (actors; N = 369) wrote letters about either or daily activities their parents (targets; 247), with half instructed share parents, not share. 2, adolescents (witnesses; 267) read positive, neutral written by hypothetical peers addressed benefactors. Actors showed improvements state mood, satisfaction (partial rs .11 .15; 1); experienced boosts relationship closeness (rs .13 .19; demonstrated increases indebtedness, elevation .14 .16; observing reported increased positive affect .24), but decreased (r ?.12; 2). These studies provide initial evidence that different have divergent effects.