Guerrilla Altruism: Maximizing Acts of Kindness for Well-Being
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acts of kindness
random acts of kindness
pay it forward
guerrilla
guerrilla altruism
collaborative deconstruction
mystery
art
beauty
surprise
positive emotion
positive resonance
positive psychology
positive interventions
well-being
Arts and Humanities
Other Psychology
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Abstract
While many studies have analyzed the effect of acts of kindness on the giver, much less attention has been paid to the effects of these types of interactions on recipients. Even less research has been dedicated to what makes acts of kindness most potent to enhance recipients’ well-being. In this paper, I suggest that there may be an ideal “recipe” for acts of kindness to make the most impact to build positive emotions in individuals, and positive resonance in groups and communities. Utilizing ingredients such as art, beauty, creativity, surprise, and most importantly, a mysterious, rebellious edge, acts of kindness can be less about “randomness” and more about deliberate acts of altruism designed to promote well-being, so that recipients feel compelled to “pay it forward.”