The Psychology of a Thank-you Gift: Gratitude or Indebtedness?

Research Topic
The Psychology of a Thank-you Gift: Gratitude or Indebtedness?

Lead Researcher
Oishi Shigehiro, Professor, University of Virginia

Host Researcher
Yukiko Uchida, Professor, Kokoro Research Center, Kyoto University

Collaborating Researchers
Sharon Akimoto, Professor, Carleton College

Research Purpose
Gratitude and indebtedness are conceptually intertwined, so much so that some researchers consider them to be opposite sides of the same coin (Naito, Wangwan, & Tani, 2005). Previous research (e.g., Greenberg & Westscott, 1983; Shen et al., 2011) suggests that indebtedness leads more to material repayment than it does to continuation of the relationship, yet this important theoretical point has not been examined. The main purpose of the research is to examine the relative importance of indebtedness vs. gratitude in material repayment and relationship continuation.

Expected Results
We predict that those who feel indebted by being helped by a partner on a challenging team task will seek to return the favor by “”paying back”” the partner, whereas those who feel grateful are interested in continuing the relationship with the partner.

2021/05/31