Appreciated and motivated: Examining whether, when, and why receiving gratitude enhances instrumentality intentions in romantic relationships

Instrumentality—the act of facilitating another person’s goal pursuit—is common and beneficial in romantic relationships. Indeed, instrumental individuals can promote their partner’s goal progress and efficiency (Cappuzzello & Gere, 2018), while also fostering feelings of relational closeness (Fitzsimons & Fishbach, 2010). Despite our understanding of instrumentality’s benefits, little is known about how to motivate instrumentality in romantic relationships. Drawing from evidence showing that receiving gratitude can increase people’s prosocial and helping behaviors (Grant & Gino, 2010; Kubacka et al., 2011), I sought to understand whether and how receiving expressions of gratitude from one’s romantic partner might predict one’s intentions to be instrumental to the partner’s goal(s) in the near future (future instrumentality intentions; FIIs). In Study 1 (N = 244), I examined the correlation between gratitude receipt and FIIs using a recall design, wherein participants described a time when they were instrumental to their romantic partner’s goal(s), reported the extent to which their partner expressed gratitude, and reported their FIIs. In Studies 2 (N = 348) and 3 (N = 439), I experimentally manipulated whether or not romantic partners expressed gratitude for participants’ instrumental support using hypothetical scenarios, and examined whether the presence of gratitude increased FIIs. In Study 3, I also manipulated whether one’s romantic partner achieved or failed to achieve a focal goal, allowing investigation into whether the effects of gratitude receipt on FIIs might depend on the outcome of the goal pursuit. Across all studies, I found evidence that receiving gratitude positively predicted FIIs, even when controlling for factors known to impact support provision motivation (e.g., attachment insecurity). Additionally, gratitude receipt increased FIIs regardless of whether romantic partners succeeded or failed at achieving their goal. I also found consistent evidence for a mechanism through which gratitude receipt increased FIIs: by enhancing individuals’ self-efficacy beliefs. To my knowledge, this work is the first to consider how expressions of gratitude between romantic partners might be leveraged to motivate future instrumentality. These findings serve as a foundation for future work examining additional antecedents to instrumental support provision, and longitudinal consequences of gratitude receipt for support processes in romantic relationships.