![]() ![]() This is the most basic way to view hedonia while eudaimonic happiness includes self and others. From this perspective, we want to increase pleasure and avoid pain. But first, what type of happiness are we talking about? Does it matter? A Look at the Psychology of KindnessĪre happy people kinder than unhappy people?Īgain, we can look to research for insights into the connection between these traits. If you’re curious about the relationship between kindness and compassion, we’ll touch on that, too. We’ll also take a look at possible shortcomings of being kind. Love and gratitude for others lead to greater feelings of satisfaction and security (Luks & Payne, 2001).įor now, our focus is exploring the benefits of kindness as it relates to self and others. He advocated for altruistic egoism (Jackson, 2012).Īltruistic egoism at its core means that in order for one to be happy and healthy, one must help others. In The Stress of Life, he suggests that in doing so our physiological responses to stress change. He argued that to reduce the negative effects of everyday stressors, we need to do good for others. No discussion about kindness is complete without including the work of Hans Selye. Some refute this and research is ongoing (Pletti, Scheel, & Paulus, 2017). Is altruism an innate trait? Humans, according to Hepach, Vaish, and Tomasello (2012) have a genuine concern for others and this starts as early as the toddler years. Seeing this, a stranger picks up his overloaded tool bag from the floor, stands, and offers his seat. For example, an elderly person enters a crowded subway train. A person acts in service to others without regard for their own wellbeing or needs (Oxford Living Dictionaries, 2019). What then, is altruism? The essence of altruistic behavior is selflessness. “The desire to help another” makes one think of compassion which involves taking action to reduce suffering. It is a benevolent and helpful action intentionally directed towards another person, it is motivated by the desire to help another and not to gain explicit reward or to avoid explicit punishment. ![]() For this, let’s review one provided by Pam (2013) in the Psychology Dictionary online. Their work is an excellent starting point for this subject, but we’ll begin with a definition of kindness. When we’re asked to make a decision right now our actions are more intuitive. From their perspective, this happens because longer decision making involves careful deliberation. When tested using a Public Goods Game approach, Rand, Greene, and Nowak (2012) learned that faster decisions led to more cooperation. Some researchers have found that human’s seek cooperation. These experiments seek to better understand what drives altruistic behavior in individuals. No one has the answers, but many have attempted finding insights through experiments. These are the questions posed by philosophers, psychologists, sociologists, and theologians. Is kindness simply the act of being nice to someone or is there more to it? How is it the same or different than altruism? Can a person be kind without wanting something in return? Is being kind a service to others, to self, or both? These detailed, science-based exercises will help you or your clients build healthy, life-enriching relationships. Let’s create a ripple that becomes a wave we all can ride.īefore you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Positive Relationships Exercises for free. Sharing your book recommendations, and acts of kindness suggestions might inspire others. ![]() You’ll also learn about ordinary people doing ordinary things with extraordinary results.Īlong the way, we’ll ask you to contribute your knowledge in the comments. As you read this article, you’ll learn about several of them. There are countless organizations whose entire mission is to spread kindness. Worldwide efforts to shine a light on kindness have led to the development of kindness curriculums and days devoted to celebrating kindness and compassion. With the increased acknowledgment that bullying behavior is a widespread epidemic in workplaces and schools, the need to reclaim our kindness roots is imperative. How have you shown kindness to someone today? How has someone else been kind to you? ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |