Being Kind to Others Contributes to Happiness, But Don't Routine It
From the results of research on behavior that enhances happiness, it has become clear that 'doing modest kindness to others enhances happiness'. However, this effect cannot be obtained if kind acts become a daily routine.
Using prosocial behavior to safeguard mental health and foster emotional well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic: A registered report of a randomized trial | PLOS ONE
How small acts of kindness can make you happier and healthier
https://theconversation.com/how-small-acts-of-kindness-can-make-you-happier-and-healthier-189556
The pandemic of the new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) has triggered more people than ever to focus on mental health. Meena Andiappan , an assistant professor who studies the relationship between ethical behavior and happiness at the University of Toronto, conducted research on how people can increase their sense of well-being and reduce negative emotions such as anxiety and depression.
The research team recruited more than 1,000 subjects in the United States and Canada, ``a group that does something kind to others three days a week'' and ``a group that does something fun for oneself (health care) three days a week. ' and 'groups that simply report their daily behavior' were randomly assigned to 3 groups. The experiment lasted for three weeks, and the subjects responded to a survey on happiness and mental health before the experiment and at the end of each week, and again two weeks after the experiment ended.
In addition, the health care performed by the subject included `` painting a manicure '' and `` watching a favorite movie '', and the kindness to others included `` opening the door for someone at the grocery store '' and `` charity Donate unnecessary items to ', and all subjects were taking simple and low-cost actions.
As a result of analyzing the experimental results, it was found that among the subjects assigned to the `` kindness group '', those who took only actions included in the daily routine had no effect on happiness. However, people who deviated from their normal routine and did kind things were found to have significantly better happiness and mental health compared to those who engaged in self-care. In addition, the research team reports that negative emotions such as anxiety and depression decreased in subjects who continued to act kindly during the experiment.
Researchers have long known that spending energy and being kind to others can have a positive impact on your own mental health. The reasons for this are: ``When I interact with less fortunate people, my worries seem smaller,'' ``
The ``three factors that benefit happiness for kind behavior'' from this study are as follows.
◆ 1: Acting out of routine
For example, non-routine kindnesses such as “taking my neighbor to the hospital” had a greater impact on happiness than routine kindnesses such as “helping my spouse cook.” That's it.
◆ 2: Do different kinds of kindness every day
For example, on one day, you will be kind enough to help a colleague who has a lot of work to do, and on another day you will be kind enough to teach your niece how to play soccer. The research team points out that the
◆ 3: Get a reaction to kind behavior
Not only do you do kind things, but when you tell me how it actually helped others, and when someone actually conveys your gratitude, your positive feelings will be amplified. .
“You don’t have to do hard things, spend time and money to improve your happiness and mental health,” says Andiappan. Just 60 seconds of action that doesn't require money is enough.'
In an ongoing follow-up study, the research team is investigating whether all kind behaviors of people are predictors of happiness, or whether the effect on happiness differs depending on the type of behavior.
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