IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/jhappi/v22y2021i6d10.1007_s10902-020-00310-z.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Why Do People with High Dispositional Gratitude Tend to Experience High Life Satisfaction? A Broaden-and-Build Theory Perspective

Author

Listed:
  • Yanhui Xiang

    (Hunan Normal University
    Hunan Normal University)

  • Rong Yuan

    (Hunan Normal University
    Hunan Normal University)

Abstract

Life satisfaction refers to people’s overall judgements on their own life experiences, which is considered to be a relative stable aspect of subjective well-being. Though a robust of literature has identified that gratitude predicts life satisfaction positively, the underlying mechanism remains to be explored from a powerful theoretical perspective. Following the broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions, this study explored the mediation role of benign envy, malicious envy and mindfulness in the relationship between dispositional gratitude and life satisfaction among 991 Chinese undergraduates (692 females and 299 males; M = 19.05, SD = 1.543, from 17 to 26 years old). The results revealed that benign envy, malicious envy and mindfulness were mediators between dispositional gratitude and life satisfaction. Importantly, dispositional gratitude linked to life satisfaction through the sequential intermediary of “mindfulness→benign envy” and “mindfulness→malicious envy”. These findings are not only valuable for understanding how dispositional gratitude is linked to life satisfaction according to the broaden-and-build theory, but also contributes to the development of psychological intervention programs aiming at improving people’s life satisfaction.

Suggested Citation

  • Yanhui Xiang & Rong Yuan, 2021. "Why Do People with High Dispositional Gratitude Tend to Experience High Life Satisfaction? A Broaden-and-Build Theory Perspective," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(6), pages 2485-2498, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:22:y:2021:i:6:d:10.1007_s10902-020-00310-z
    DOI: 10.1007/s10902-020-00310-z
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10902-020-00310-z
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10902-020-00310-z?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Antonio M. Espín & Dolores Moreno-Herrero & José Sánchez-Campillo & José A. Rodríguez Martín, 2018. "Do Envy and Compassion Pave the Way to Unhappiness? Social Preferences and Life Satisfaction in a Spanish City," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 19(2), pages 443-469, February.
    2. Michael Eid & Ed Diener, 2004. "Global Judgments of Subjective Well-Being: Situational Variability and Long-Term Stability," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 65(3), pages 245-277, February.
    3. Yu Wang & Feng Kong, 2014. "The Role of Emotional Intelligence in the Impact of Mindfulness on Life Satisfaction and Mental Distress," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 116(3), pages 843-852, May.
    4. Guoping Song & Feng Kong & Weitao Jin, 2013. "Mediating Effects of Core Self-Evaluations on The Relationship Between Social Support and Life Satisfaction," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 114(3), pages 1161-1169, December.
    5. Peizhen Sun & Feng Kong, 2013. "Affective Mediators of the Influence of Gratitude on Life Satisfaction in Late Adolescence," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 114(3), pages 1361-1369, December.
    6. Rhonda Swickert & Erika Bailey & James Hittner & Andrew Spector & Brittaney Benson-Townsend & N. Clayton Silver, 2019. "The Mediational Roles of Gratitude and Perceived Support in Explaining the Relationship Between Mindfulness and Mood," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 20(3), pages 815-828, March.
    7. Feng Kong & Xinyu Gong & Sonia Sajjad & Kairong Yang & Jingjing Zhao, 2019. "How Is Emotional Intelligence Linked to Life Satisfaction? The Mediating Role of Social Support, Positive Affect and Negative Affect," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 20(8), pages 2733-2745, December.
    8. Feng Kong & Ke Ding & Jingjing Zhao, 2015. "The Relationships Among Gratitude, Self-esteem, Social Support and Life Satisfaction Among Undergraduate Students," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 16(2), pages 477-489, April.
    9. Lung Chen & Ying Kee, 2008. "Gratitude and Adolescent Athletes’ Well-Being," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 89(2), pages 361-373, November.
    10. Ed Diener & Ronald Inglehart & Louis Tay, 2013. "Theory and Validity of Life Satisfaction Scales," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 112(3), pages 497-527, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. María Teresa Chamizo-Nieto & Lourdes Rey, 2023. "Gratitude as a Protective Factor for Cybervictimisation and Anxiety Symptomatology: A Prospective Study," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 18(2), pages 1057-1071, April.
    2. Hongcui Yang & Chuqiao Liang & Yue Liang & Ying Yang & Peilian Chi & Xianglong Zeng & Qinglu Wu, 2023. "Association of Gratitude With Individual and Organizational Outcomes Among Volunteers: An Application of Broaden-and-Build Theory of Positive Emotions," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(4), pages 21582440231, December.
    3. Jacky C. K. Ng & Joanne Y. H. Chong & Hilary K. Y. Ng, 2023. "The way I see the world, the way I envy others: a person-centered investigation of worldviews and the malicious and benign forms of envy among adolescents and adults," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-11, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Chuhua Zheng & Yanhong Wu, 2020. "The More Modest You are, the Happier You are: The Mediating Roles of Emotional Intelligence and Self-esteem," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 21(5), pages 1603-1615, June.
    2. Feng Kong & Kairong Yang & Wenjing Yan & Xuewen Li, 2021. "How Does Trait Gratitude Relate to Subjective Well-Being in Chinese Adolescents? The Mediating Role of Resilience and Social Support," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(4), pages 1611-1622, April.
    3. Haidong Zhu, 2015. "Social Support and Affect Balance Mediate the Association Between Forgiveness and Life Satisfaction," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 124(2), pages 671-681, November.
    4. Kaifeng Wang & Feng Kong, 2020. "Linking Trait Mindfulness to Life Satisfaction in Adolescents: the Mediating Role of Resilience and Self-Esteem," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 13(1), pages 321-335, February.
    5. Naved Iqbal & Kaiser Ahmad Dar, 2022. "Gratitude Intervention and Subjective Well-Being in Indian Adolescents: Examining the Moderating Effects of Self-Esteem," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 15(1), pages 263-278, February.
    6. Lili Tian & Shuya Chu & E. Scott Huebner, 2016. "The Chain of Relationships Among Gratitude, Prosocial Behavior and Elementary School Students’ School Satisfaction: The Role of School Affect," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 9(2), pages 515-532, June.
    7. Kai Ludwigs & Richard Lucas & Martijn Burger & Ruut Veenhoven & Lidia Arends, 2018. "How Does More Attention to Subjective Well-Being Affect Subjective Well-Being?," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 13(4), pages 1055-1080, December.
    8. YODO Masato & UCHIDA Atsuhiko, 2022. "How Much Is It Worth Not Being Alone? An empirical evaluation of social support using the life satisfaction approach in Japan," Discussion papers 22108, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    9. Wenjing Yan & Linting Zhang & Wenjie Li & Feng Kong, 2022. "How is Subjective Family Socioeconomic Status Related to Life Satisfaction in Chinese Adolescents? The Mediating Role of Resilience, Self-Esteem and Hope," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 15(5), pages 1565-1581, October.
    10. Yan, Wenjing & Zhang, Linting & Li, Wenjie & You, Xuqun & Kong, Feng, 2022. "Associations of family subjective socioeconomic status with hedonic and eudaimonic well-being in emerging adulthood: A daily diary study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 298(C).
    11. Lung Chen & Ying Kee & Mei-Yen Chen, 2015. "Why Grateful Adolescent Athletes are More Satisfied with their Life: The Mediating Role of Perceived Team Cohesion," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 124(2), pages 463-476, November.
    12. Feng Kong & Wenjie Li & Qiuling Wang & Zonglei Zhen, 2023. "Incremental Well-being Beliefs and Well-being in Adolescents: The Mediating Role of Self-esteem and Optimism," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 16(2), pages 533-549, April.
    13. Gwyther Rees & Jonathan Bradshaw, 2018. "Exploring Low Subjective Well-Being Among Children Aged 11 in the UK: an Analysis Using Data Reported by Parents and by Children," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 11(1), pages 27-56, February.
    14. Angelina Wilson Fadiji & Leana Meiring & Marie P. Wissing, 2021. "Understanding Well-Being in the Ghanaian Context: Linkages between Lay Conceptions of Well-Being and Measures of Hedonic and Eudaimonic Well-Being," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 16(2), pages 649-677, April.
    15. Qian Nie & Zhaojun Teng & George G. Bear & Cheng Guo & Yanling Liu & Dajun Zhang, 2019. "Hope as Mediator Between Teacher–Student Relationships and Life Satisfaction Among Chinese Adolescents: A Between- and Within-Person Effects Analysis," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 20(7), pages 2367-2383, October.
    16. Zane Asher Green & Uzma Noor & Firoza Ahmed, 2020. "The Body–Mind–Spirit Dimensions of Wellness Mediate Dispositional Gratitude and Life Satisfaction," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 21(8), pages 3095-3119, December.
    17. Giulia Casu & Eugenia Gentili & Paola Gremigni, 2020. "Future Time Perspective and Perceived Social Support: The Mediating Role of Gratitude," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-11, September.
    18. Mo Luan & Yufeng Zhang & Xiaoyu Wang, 2023. "Gratitude Reduces Regret: The Mediating Role of Temporal Focus," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 24(1), pages 1-15, January.
    19. Feng Kong & Ke Ding & Jingjing Zhao, 2015. "The Relationships Among Gratitude, Self-esteem, Social Support and Life Satisfaction Among Undergraduate Students," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 16(2), pages 477-489, April.
    20. Camilla Lenzi & Giovanni Perucca, 2021. "Not too close, not too far: Urbanisation and life satisfaction along the urban hierarchy," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 58(13), pages 2742-2757, October.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:22:y:2021:i:6:d:10.1007_s10902-020-00310-z. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.