Do we underrate the power of kindness, inside and out?

During COVID, opportunities for everyday social encounters, like amicable chit-chat with strangers or spontaneous chances to do good deeds, largely disappeared. But evidence from several 2022 studies tells us why kindness matters more than we think, inside and out.

A first study, led by Steve Cole, examined the impact of kindness on a biological response called Conserved Transcriptional Response to Adversity (CTRA). CTRA is a gene regulation program tied to greater inflammation, which, when chronically elevated, increases our disease risk. For a month, on one day a week, some study participants performed three acts of kindness, while others just listed their daily activities.

Afterward, CTRA gene expression was elevated among the people who tracked their activities, and reduced in people who practiced kindness to others—a healthier genetic profile for stress.

In addition to these deep benefits to our bodies, a second study found that kindness is uniquely beneficial for our sense of meaning in life. Compared to three other positive behaviours – kindness toward the self, being more socially outgoing, and acting more open-minded – practicing kindness gives people higher self-confidence, more competence, and a greater sense of meaning while they’re doing it.

Given these benefits, what keeps us from being kind?

Studies highlight mental biases that get in the way. Specifically, in deciding whether to do something generous or helpful for someone, we chronically underestimate how much beneficial impact we can make. Also, when considering whether to reach out to an acquaintance, we may assume that they will appreciate it less than they actually do.

The reminder that “happiness springs from doing good and helping others” (Plato) is especially important now. As we flow into the new year, and beyond, there’s plenty of room to infuse more kindness into the mix to foster a healthier stress profile and greater sense of meaning in life.