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Giant Brain Candy: Thanks That Spread to Bystanders. Across eight experiments with 1,817 people, those who simply watched someone thank another person became more helpful toward the grateful person and more drawn to both of them. Source: The witnessing effect.
Growing evidenceThe research
  1. Algoe, S. B., Dwyer, P. C., Younge, A., & Oveis, C. (2020). A new perspective on the social functions of emotions: Gratitude and the witnessing effect. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 119(1), 40–74.

Journey 5 · Gratitude

Thanks That Spread to Bystanders

Across eight experiments with 1,817 people, those who simply watched someone thank another person became more helpful toward the grateful person and more drawn to both of them.

Source: The witnessing effect · Growing evidence

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Giant Brain Candy: It’s the Meaning, Not the Gift. People who read the very same story of being helped felt more grateful when they saw the help as more valuable, more costly to the helper and more freely given. Changing those features changed how grateful people felt. Source: Appraising a kindness.
Giant Brain Candy: The Thank-You Letter Visit. In an online trial of happiness exercises, writing a thank-you letter and delivering it in person gave the biggest immediate lift of all. The boost lasted about a month. Source: The gratitude visit.
Giant Brain Candy: Your Thanks Mean More Than You Think. People writing thank-you letters underestimated how surprised and pleased recipients would be, and overestimated how awkward recipients would feel. The more awkwardness they expected, the less willing they were to write. Source: Undervaluing gratitude.
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