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Early research studies on gratitude journals by Emmons & McCullough found "counting one's blessings" in a journal led to improved psychological and physical functioning. . Participants who recorded weekly journals, each consisting of five things they were grateful for, were more optimistic towards the upcoming week and life as a whole, spent more time exercising, and had fewer symptoms of ...
The enhancing effects of emotional arousal on later memory recall tend to be maintained among older adults and the amygdala shows relatively less decline than many other brain regions. [75] However, older adults also show somewhat of a shift towards favoring positive over negative information in memory, leading to a positivity effect .
In both interventions, the researchers found that gratitude and humility are connected and are "mutually reinforcing." [95] The study also discusses how gratitude, and its associated humility, may lead to more positive emotional states and subjective well-being. A series of experiments showed a positive effect of awe on subjective well-being. [96]
For example, Watkins and colleagues [50] had participants test a number of different gratitude exercises, such as thinking about a living person for whom they are grateful, writing about someone for whom they are grateful, and writing a letter to deliver to someone for whom they are grateful. Participants in the control group were asked to ...
New brain mapping technology, particularly fMRI and PET, allowed researchers to investigate experimental strategies of cognitive psychology by observing brain function. Although this is often thought of as a new method (most of the technology is relatively recent), the underlying principle goes back as far as 1878 when blood flow was first ...
Information about the structure and function of the human brain comes from a variety of experimental methods, including animals and humans. Information about brain trauma and stroke has provided information about the function of parts of the brain and the effects of brain damage. Neuroimaging is used to visualise the brain and record brain ...
While trait gratitude requires a bit (uh, a lot) more inner work and self-exploration than the positive effects of reading a one-off quote can offer, state gratitude levels can benefit from ...
Neuroplasticity is the process by which neurons adapt to a disturbance over time, and most often occurs in response to repeated exposure to stimuli. [27] Aerobic exercise increases the production of neurotrophic factors [note 1] (e.g., BDNF, IGF-1, VEGF) which mediate improvements in cognitive functions and various forms of memory by promoting blood vessel formation in the brain, adult ...