While research on the link between gratitude and empathy is needed, there is burgeoning research showing that gratitude has been linked to lower levels of aggression, with the reason being that gratitude cultivates empathy (DeWall, Lambert, Pond, Kashdan, & Fincham, 2012). Additionally, there appears to be a correlation between gratitude and decreased personal distress (Booker & Dunsmore, 2015). Hence, this activity has the double-effect of both increasing empathy and providing protection against overstressing the empathic response system.

 

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