Article Excerpt:
Two decades ago, a landmark study led by psychologist Robert A. Emmons sought to understand how people benefit from gratitude, a question that scientists had rarely explored until then.
Dr. Emmons’s findings — which suggested that gratitude may improve psychological well-being — inspired a spate of additional research. To date, numerous studies have found that having a grateful outlook, “counting one’s blessings” and expressing gratitude to others can have positive effects on our emotional health as well as on interpersonal and romantic relationships.
In addition, some studies, but not all, have shown that gratitude can benefit physical health.