According to a recent report, despite the world often feeling cold and harsh, there is a significant amount of kindness present if one is willing to notice it. The World Happiness Report, released annually on the International Day of Happiness, offers a global examination of happiness and well-being in collaboration with Gallup, the University of Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre, and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. This year’s report focused on acts of benevolence and people’s expectations within their communities.
Acts of benevolence were classified into three categories: donating money, volunteering, and performing kind deeds for strangers. The report revealed that 70% of the global population engaged in at least one act of kindness in the past month. Dr. Felix Cheung, a coauthor of the report and assistant professor of psychology at the University of Toronto, noted the high number of individuals performing kind actions and emphasized the positivity it signifies.
While there was a decline in benevolent acts from the peak observed during the Covid-19 pandemic, the report still highlights an improvement from pre-lockdown levels. Dr. Lara Aknin, a professor of social psychology at Simon Fraser University and an editor of the World Happiness Report, underscored the importance of people’s engagement in acts of kindness, despite the challenging state of the world.
Research indicates that practicing kindness benefits both the giver and the receiver, contributing to increased levels of happiness. Ilana Ron-Levey, a managing director at Gallup, emphasized the importance of benevolence as a step towards personal and societal happiness. The United States, which ranks 24th on the list of happiest countries, could potentially improve its happiness standing through fostering kindness and generosity.
Small acts of kindness, such as making donations or volunteering, have a substantial impact on happiness, surpassing the influence of income levels, according to Ron-Levey. Aknin’s studies have shown that acts of generosity significantly elevate levels of happiness, both for the giver and the recipient. Cultivating connections through acts of generosity is crucial, as it plays a vital role in enhancing happiness.
Despite the prevalence of kind actions, the general expectation of benevolence remains relatively low, as per Aknin. Individuals often underestimate the kindness present in their surroundings. The study revealed that people tend to be overly pessimistic regarding the kindness displayed by others.
Cheung mentioned that people expected a lost wallet to be returned to them. The researchers conducted a survey to determine if individuals believed a neighbor, the police, or a stranger would return the wallet.
Ron-Levey stated that the US ranks 17th globally in trusting a neighbor to return a lost wallet, 25th in trusting the police, and only 52nd in trusting a stranger. This suggests a weakening of social cohesion.
According to Aknin, people were more likely to trust a neighbor or police officer to return a lost wallet, while trust in a stranger reflects overall societal trust.
Researchers compared people’s expectations with real-life scenarios by dropping wallets in various cities worldwide and analyzing the return rates. The perception of strangers returning wallets was consistently underestimated, known as an “empathy gap.”
In the US, about one-third of individuals expected a lost wallet to be returned, while two-thirds were actually returned. This disparity impacts happiness negatively.
Aknin suggested that building community and closing the empathy gap can lead to greater happiness. Taking social risks can improve perceptions of others’ kindness.
She also highlighted the three C’s for performing kind acts: connecting with others, making a choice to be kind, and seeing a clear positive impact. These actions can boost happiness significantly.
Ron-Levey noted a correlation between eating alone and lower lifestyle satisfaction, with an increase in Americans eating all meals alone since 2003. These trends emphasize the importance of social connections for overall well-being.
If you find yourself lacking a reliable support system during times of need and losing trust in institutions and your community, this can lead to a decrease in kind acts and ultimately impact your happiness. These factors contribute to feelings of isolation and a lack of social connections, which can affect your overall well-being, as noted by Ron-Levey.
However, not all communities experience this lack of connection. A strong sense of community and social ties are key reasons why Finland and other Nordic countries consistently rank high in happiness surveys. To discover tips for living well with simplicity, consider signing up for CNN’s Life, But Better newsletter. Stay informed and improve your well-being by creating an account at CNN.com for more news and newsletters.
