Which Acts of Giving Make Us Happier?

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There’s a video I love to show one of my classes. It highlights people doing something nice for others in quick succession, with someone doing a good deed for another, followed by that person paying it forward and helping another individual. I think students appreciate it, and it never gets old for me. I smile—inside and outside—every time.

When we engage in acts of goodness like this, research shows we enjoy more well-being. But how does that occur? Does it matter what we do? What about whom we’re doing it for or how they respond?

How Different Good Deeds Affect the Giver

Researchers looked at these questions in a recent exploratory study; it was intended to see what connections exist rather than examine any set hypotheses. They found that some facets of thoughtful actions were linked to people feeling even more upbeat, while others weren’t.

First, let’s talk in terms of what people do for others: Folks who offered an object or money seemed to experience more of a mood boost compared to other things, like offering time or sharing expertise.

There are two important points to park on here. First, the researchers noted that even though these two forms of giving seemed the most connected to positivity, giving to people overall was linked to feeling brighter; so other actions can still leave us feeling more content. Second, the paper's examples of the money and objects people gave weren’t lavish. They involved things like adding more to a tip or giving someone coffee.

More significantly, greater cheerfulness was related to doing more than what would be typical in that situation. Let’s say your friend asked if you’d be willing to pick something up from the grocery store for them on your way over. In addition to doing what they asked you to do, you also stop off and pick up a coffee for them. That additional step goes past what the situation called for.

How the Recipient’s Reaction Shapes the Giver's Happiness

The results also showed that the recipient's reaction is related to a bigger mood boost. We seem to feel more content when the person we helped shows appreciation.

We also may feel happier when we give to different people in diverse ways. In other words, if we shift how we do it, we appear to feel more content than if we don’t revise what we’re doing. However, who we’re giving to doesn’t seem to make a difference in the happiness enhancement we get, nor does it matter if the good deed directly helps both another person and ourselves, or just that individual.

Again, this study is in the exploratory stage, so we should consider the results with some caution. That said, it's still worth being curious and paying attention to how we feel when we do good deeds. What aspects of it might make more of a difference in how you feel?