Rewards Of Being Kind
New research also found that random acts of kindness (such as helping an older neighbor carry groceries) were more strongly associated with overall well-being than structured activities such as volunteering for charity. Investigation leader Bryant P.H. Hui, Ph.D., of the University of Hong Kong reported that informal helping is more casual, spontaneous and varied and may more easily lead to forming social connections. The research also found that not all good-hearted behavior is equally beneficial to givers. Instead, it showed that the strength of the link depends on many factors including the type of the kindness, the definition of well-being and the giver’s age, gender and other demographic factors. These conclusions come from an analysis of 201 independent studies that included data on nearly 200,000 participants and explored the connection between prosocial behavior and well-being.
Source:
Bryant P.H. Hui et al “Rewards of Kindness? A Meta-Analysis of the Link Between Prosociality and Well-Being,”. Psychological Bulletin, September 3, 2020.
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