The multiple facets of gratefulness in a collectivist context: Conceptualization, measurement, and well-being correlates of gratitude motives

Abstract

This research conceptualized and developed a scale to assess gratitude motives – a construct encompassing individuals' tendency to espouse intrinsic and extrinsic motives for expressing gratitude. Study 1 showed that the correlated five-factor model with intrinsic, compensatory, interpersonal, obligatory, and instrumental gratitude as key dimensions was the most optimal factor solution in Filipino undergraduate students. Study 2 demonstrated that the correlated five-factor model had good fit in Filipino high school students. Further, intrinsic gratitude had incremental validity in predicting well-being outcomes (i.e., life satisfaction and positive emotions) when controlling for age, gender, Big Five personality factors, and dispositional gratitude. Study 3 revealed that compensatory and interpersonal gratitude served as predictors of well-being outcomes in Filipino adults. Study 4 showed that Time 1 interpersonal gratitude positively predicted Time 2 flourishing, controlling for demographic covariates and auto-regressor effects in Malaysia undergraduate students. This research contributes to ongoing debates on enriching culturally sensitive conceptualizations of psychological strengths in non-Western societies.