Studies & Findings

Kindness research briefing | Mental Health Foundation

Kindness research briefing | Mental Health Foundation

1. Canter D, Youngs D, Yaneva M. Towards a measure of kindness: An exploration of a neglected interpersonal trait. Pers Individ Dif. 2017;106:15–20.  

2. Caldwell C. Understanding Kindness – A Moral Duty of Human Resource Leaders. J Values-Based Leadersh. 2017;10(2).  

3. APA. Altruism [Internet]. APA Dictionary of Psychology. [cited 2020 May 1]. Available from: 

4. Goetz JL, Keltner D, Simon-Thomas E. Compassion: An Evolutionary Analysis and Empirical Review. Psychol Bull. 2010;136(3):351–74.  

5. Curry OS, Rowland LA, Van Lissa CJ, Zlotowitz S, McAlaney J, Whitehouse H. Happy to help? A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of performing acts of kindness on the well-being of the actor. J Exp Soc Psychol. 2018;76:320–9.  

6. Ko K, Margolis S, Revord J, Lyubomirsky S. Comparing the effects of performing and recalling acts of kindness. J Posit Psychol. 2019;  

7. Nelson SK, Layous K, Cole SW, Lyubomirsky S. Do unto others or treat yourself? The effects of prosocial and self-focused behavior on psychological flourishing. Emotion. 2016;16(6):850–61.  

8. Aknin LB, Barrington-Leigh CP, Dunn EW, Helliwell JF, Burns J, Biswas-Diener R, et al. Prosocial Spending and Well-Being: Cross-Cultural Evidence for a Psychological Universal. J Pers Soc Psychol. 2013;104(4):635–52.  

9. Rowland L, Curry OS. A range of kindness activities boost happiness. J Soc Psychol. 2019;159(3):340–3.  

10. Layous K, Nelson SK, Oberle E, Schonert-Reichl KA, Lyubomirsky S. Kindness Counts: Prompting Prosocial Behavior in Preadolescents Boosts Peer Acceptance and Well-Being. PLoS One. 2012;7(12).  

11. Poulin MJ. Volunteering predicts health among those who value others: Two national studies. Heal Psychol. 2014;33(2):120–9.  

12. Cotney JL, Banerjee R. Adolescents’ Conceptualizations of Kindness and its Links with Well-being: A Focus Group Study. J Soc Pers Relat. 2019;36(2):599–617.  

13. Helliwell J, Aknin L, Shiplett H, Huang H, Wang S. Social Capital and Prosocial Behaviour as Sources of Well-Being. Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research; 2017. (NBER Working Paper Series). Report No.: 23761.  

14. Aknin LB, Van de Vondervoort JW, Hamlin JK. Positive feelings reward and promote prosocial behavior. Curr Opin Psychol. 2018;20:55–9.  

15. Poulin MJ, Holman EA. Helping hands, healthy body? Oxytocin receptor gene and prosocial behavior interact to buffer the association between stress and physical health. Horm Behav. 2013;63(3):510–7.  

16. Buchanan TW, Preston SD. Stress leads to prosocial action in immediate need situations. Front Behav Neurosci. 2014;8:5.  

17. Taylor S., Master SL. Social Responses to Stress: The Tend-and-Befriend Model. In: Contrada R., Baum A, editors. The Handbook of Stress Science. New York: Springer; 2011. p. 101–7.  

18. Pavey L, Greitemeyer T, Sparks P. Highlighting relatedness promotes prosocial motives and behavior. Personal Soc Psychol Bull. 2011;37(7):905–17.  

19. Weinstein N, Ryan RM. When Helping Helps: Autonomous Motivation for Prosocial Behavior and Its Influence on Well-Being for the Helper and Recipient. J Pers Soc Psychol. 2010;98(2):222–44.  

20. Konrath S, Fuhrel-Forbis A, Lou A, Brown S. Motives for volunteering are associated with mortality risk in older adults. Heal Psychol. 2012;31(1):87–96.  

21. Stallman HM, Ohan JL, Chiera B. The role of social support, being present and self-kindness in university student well-being. Br J Guid Couns. 2018;46(4):365–74.  

22. Zeng X, Chiu CPK, Wang R, Oei TPS, Leung FYK. The effect of loving-kindness meditation on positive emotions: A meta-analytic review. Front Psychol. 2015;6(NOV):1693.  

23. Galante J, Galante I, Bekkers MJ, Gallacher J. Effect of kindness-based meditation on health and well-being: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2014;82(6):1101–14.  

24. Luberto CM, Shinday N, Song R, Philpotts LL, Park ER, Fricchione GL, et al. A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of the Effects of Meditation on Empathy, Compassion, and Prosocial Behaviors. Mindfulness (N Y). 2018;9(3):708–24.  

25. Galante J, Bekkers MJ, Mitchell C, Gallacher J. Loving-Kindness Meditation Effects on Well-Being and Altruism: A Mixed-Methods Online RCT. Appl Psychol Heal Well-Being. 2016;8(3):322–50.  

26. Grant AM, Gino F. A Little Thanks Goes a Long Way: Explaining Why Gratitude Expressions Motivate Prosocial Behavior. J Pers Soc Psychol. 2010;98(6):946–55.  

27. Ma LK, Tunney RJ, Ferguson E. Does gratitude enhance prosociality?: A meta-analytic review. Psychol Bull. 2017;143(6):601–35.  

28. Rowland L. Kindness – society’s golden chain? [Internet]. The Psychologist. 2018 [cited 2020 May 1]. Available from: 

29. Binfet J-T. Not-so random acts of kindness : A guide to intentional kindness in the classroom. Int J Emot Educ. 2015;7(2):35–48.  

30. Campling P. Reforming the culture of healthcare: the case for intelligent kindness. BJPsych Bull. 2015;39(1):1–5.  

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