Abstract
This study investigated the relation between appreciation and positive and negative affect, controlling for gender, age, ethnicity, and Big Five personality factors. Appreciation consists of several aspects, including a focus on what one has (“have” focus), awe, gratitude, and interpersonal appreciation. Undergraduates ( N = 236) completed an online survey containing the Appreciation Scale, Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS), and Big Five Inventory (BFI). The Big Five traits accounted for 38% and 43% of the variance in positive and negative affect, respectively, beyond demographics. Appreciation accounted for 9% ( p < .001) and 4.6% ( p < .05) of the variance in positive and negative affect, respectively, beyond demographics and the Big Five. The “have” focus aspect of appreciation, which represents noticing, focusing on, and valuing what one has, accounted for significant unique variance in both positive and negative affect. Gratitude did not. Future research is needed to determine how broadly these results generalize.
Highlights
Some people just seem to be happier than others
Appreciation accounts for significant variance in positive affect (PA), even when age, ethnicity, gender, and the Big 5 personality factors are controlled
The Big Five personality factors accounted for 38.4% and 43.1% of the variance in PA and negative affect (NA), respectively, over-and-above age, gender, and ethnicity, demonstrating the importance of controlling for personality when assessing the variance accounted for by appreciation
Summary
Some people just seem to be happier than others. What factors are associated with their happiness? I argue that appreciation may play an important role in mental health and subjective well-being, including affective well-being. A person’s current emotional state might be that she is feeling appreciation. These statements describe emotions felt in the current moment. Research has demonstrated there are individual differences in appreciation, that is, in the tendency to feel appreciation (e.g., Adler & Fagley, 2005; Tucker, 2007). This is consistent with most people’s personal observations that at one end of the continuum are people who appreciate kindnesses or opportunities, appreciate beauty wherever it is found, and value family and friends. There are individual differences in the tendency to feel appreciation, it is possible to increase one’s tendency to experience appreciation through particular beliefs and practices, which can be learned (Adler & Fagley, 2005)
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