Gratitude pays: A weekly gratitude intervention influences monetary decisions, physiological responses, and emotional experiences during a trust-related social interaction

Gratitude interventions assist individuals in the pursuit of greater personal and social well-being. Yet, little is known about whether these interventions increase interpersonal trust. In the current study, we tested whether a weekly gratitude-promoting intervention enhances the decision to trust a stranger in a monetary game several days later. Furthermore, we tested whether this intervention influences emotional and physiological reactions during the trust-making decision. After completing a gratitude journaling intervention or a control condition, participants engaged in a laboratory-based trust game. Continuous self-reports of emotional valence and physiological reactivity were recorded throughout the game. Compared with the control group, participants completing the gratitude intervention experienced more positive emotions and this mediated their greater willingness to entrust more money to a stranger. Participants who received the gratitude intervention experienced higher respiration rates and systolic blood pressure responses during trust making decisions - indicative of greater motivational intensity.