Abstract :
Gratitude and indebtedness have often been
equated in psychology. Emerging research, however,
suggests that these emotions are experienced differently and
occur in response to different situations (Gray, Emmons, &
Morrison, 2001). The current set of experiments investigated
the effects of helper intention on grateful and indebted
reactions to a favor. Study 1 utilized scenario methodology
to present participants with a favor that was given with
benevolent or ulterior motives. Participants felt significantly
more grateful when the helper had benevolent intentions.
Reactions of indebtedness did not vary as a function of
helper intention. In Study 2, participants recalled favors
that had been done for them for either unselfish or selfish
reasons. Participants reported significantly more gratitude
for the favor when they were instructed to recall an
unselfish favor. Levels of indebtedness were not affected
by helper intention. Study 3 provided participants with
an ambiguous favor scenario to better assess individuals’
natural reactions to receiving help, and replicated the results
of Study 1. Together, these three experiments provide
support for differences between grateful and indebted
emotions
