Parent of the Virtues? The Prosocial Contours of Gratitude

This chapter describes the prosocial basis of gratitude by identifying three distinct functions of grateful emotions. It suggests that gratitude functions as a moral reinforcer, a moral motive and a moral barometer. Many scholars in the field of humanities have associated gratitude with morality and prosocial behavior and Cicero even called it the parent of the virtues. An analysis of social scientific research highlights the importance of gratitude as a social resource that is well worth understanding for the development of a society based on goodwill.