Perceived goodness mediates the relationship between trait and state gratitude

A grateful person could be said to have a lower threshold for gratitude and might feel more gratitude than others. However, both the value of gifts and the intention of helpers may be important determinations. This study aimed to examine the roles of perceived value and intention in the relationship between trait and state gratitude. Two hundred and forty-four Taiwanese individuals aged 20 or above completed measures of variables of interest. Structural equation modeling showed that goodness of value and intention naturally group together and form a unique appraisal belief (i.e., perceived goodness). Moreover, path analyses indicated that perceived goodness acted as a full mediator of the association between trait and state gratitude. In other words, people with higher levels of trait gratitude had a propensity to perceive greater value of the gift itself and the helper’s genuine helpful intentions, which may elevate their degree of state gratitude. Furthermore, a multigroup analysis found that the paths did not differ by gender. Implications for future research and limitations of the present findings are discussed.