Exploring Acts of Kindness and Predispositions that Predict Their Use and Engagement in Communication Savoring

Abstract

This thesis explored the positive communication and psychological processes of prosociality, kindness, and savoring by applying a multi-level analytic framework using a macro, meso, and micro perspective. With the intention of clarifying interpersonal kindness behaviors, this thesis assessed and coded experienced kindness narratives into a typology of five categories. By evaluating prosocial dispositions (beneficence, humanity-esteem, mindfulness, and capacity to savor) that predict engagement in savoring, this thesis also clarified the intrapersonal features involved in the micro level of communication savoring of kindness engagement. The salient findings from this study promote the prosocial disposition of beneficence as particularly important for savoring, with mindfulness as a distal consideration. The proferred kindness typology grounds kindness research concretely to behavior.