Stability and Change in Gratitude Expressions for the Fulfilment of Human Needs Categories

This study examines how major societal events such as the COVID-19 pandemic influence individuals’ expressions of gratitude for various human needs categories. The present study aimed to conceptually replicate (Nguyen, S. P., & Gordon, C. L. Journal of Happiness Studies, 23, 2022) with a larger dataset spanning five years, and to offer a vital theoretical extension pertaining to the constancy/flexibility in individual expression types across time. The journal entries of single day participants (N = 1,941) on Thnx4!, a gratitude journaling website, were coded for the fulfillment of deficiency and growth needs using Maslow’s Theory of Motivation. Gratitude expressions were compared from five time periods: year one and year two of the pandemic; and, one year, two years, and three years before the pandemic. The results of the three year analysis successfully replicated (Nguyen, S. P., & Gordon, C. L. Journal of Happiness Studies, 23, 2022), demonstrating that the pandemic shifted gratitude expressions away from deficiency needs satisfaction and towards the fulfilment of growth needs during year one of the pandemic compared to two years prior. However, the five year analysis suggests a less substantial shift in a larger context. Moreover, repeated measures data analyses based on a subset of multi-day participants (N = 80) who provided journal entries over two weeks revealed how individuals tend to restrict their expressions of gratitude to only one domain, suggesting constancy in gratitude. These findings suggest that there is space for individuals to expand their gratitude, paving the way for innovative interventions aimed at broadening individuals’ appreciation across diverse domains.