Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) Capstone Projects
Document Type
Thesis or dissertation
Date of this Version
8-1-2020
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.”
Keywords
altruism, 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
Topic
Well-Being/Flourishing, Positive Psychology, Altruism
Format
Capstone, Thesis
Date Posted: 03 August 2020