REASON 10 OF 10

Gratitude makes you kinder.

Feeling thankful makes people readier to help others, even a stranger, even when it costs them.

What the researchers did

Monica Bartlett and David DeSteno set up a small mishap in the lab: just as participants finished a task, their computer screen went blank. Another person in the room, who was secretly part of the study, stepped in and fixed it, saving them from starting over. Later, that person asked for help with a long and tedious survey.

What they found

Participants who had been helped, and felt grateful, spent much longer helping, even though the task was dull. It was gratitude, not simply a good mood, that made the difference. In a follow-up study, grateful participants were also more willing to help a stranger.

What it means on G-Day

Gratitude works in both directions. The people you thank feel valued, and you, feeling thankful, become readier to help. Ten thank-yous on 10 October can leave everyone a little kinder.