The psychological benefits of giving and receiving a thank you

Through the trying times of these past few months, we have all come to appreciate even the smallest gestures or token of thanks we receive from loved ones as well as strangers. In fact, the average person in the UK says ‘thank you’ 14 times a day – but the frequency in which we hear these two words in no way demeans how much they mean.

68% of people say receving a ‘thank you’ makes them happy and 54% say it boosts their mood, according to a new poll, while 50% say it makes them feel appreciated. 20% of those surveyed said a ‘thank you’ makes them feel seen or noticed, while 23% said it makes them have feelings of gratitude.

When it comes to showing our gratitude to others, saying ‘thank you’ is the first port of call for 68% of us, while 33% opt to pay the person we appreciate a compliment and 21% give the person a hug, if social distancing allows them to do so.

As a result of the pandemic, as a nation we are most thankful for our NHS emergency staff, with 52% agreeing they appreciate their hard work over the past few months. Doctors (37%), nurses (47%) and care workers (27%) are also amongst the key figures people are thankful for. However, the sacrifice and commitment of other essential workers are far from overlooked – supermarket workers (41%), delivery staff (33%) and retail workers (20%) are also amongst the most appreciated.

Aston spoke to Audrey Tang, psychologist and Aoife Davey, group marketing director at One 4 All Gift Cards o discuss this research, explain how you can show your appreciation with one of their products and also explain the importance of showing thanks and the psychological benefits of saying (and receiving) a ‘thank you’.

Photo by Manuel Cosentino on Unsplash