In positive psychology, the term "gratitude" can be defined conceptually as a worldview adopted by individuals that is inclined to observe and value the positive aspects of life events. (AM Wood, Froh and Geraghty, 2010). Research has demonstrated the various benefits of practicing gratitude in our daily lives, particularly in the psychological, emotional and physical areas. (McCullough, Tsang, & Emmons, 2004; AM Wood, Joseph, & Maltby, 2009; AM Wood, Maltby, Gillett, Linley, & Joseph, 2008). Although the practice of gratitude is largely beneficial in most cases, this article argues that the positive effects of gratitude may be moderated by various factors such as gender, culture, and social position/appropriateness, and that the practice of gratitude may be maladaptive. under certain circumstances. Two theories have been proposed to explain the specific psychological mechanism behind the practice of gratitude. They are the schematic hypothesis (A. Wood, Maltby, Stewart, Linley, & Joseph, 2008) and the coping hypothesis (A. M. Wood, Joseph, & Linley, 2007). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The schematic hypothesis assumes that gratitude manifests as an external emotion as a result of obtaining help from external agents driven by altruistic motives that are perceived as valuable and costly to provide. According to the schematic theory, individuals possess definitive schemas that guide individuals in situations that require help. On the other hand, the main premise of the coping hypothesis to explain the practice of gratitude is that individuals who practice gratitude often have greater accessibility to social support resources, reframe the existing problem in a positive perspective while seeking opportunities for growth and, finally, they avoid addressing current problems by using maladaptive approaches such as substance abuse. Using these theories as a basis for research, numerous studies have been conducted to examine the link between gratitude and positive psychological, emotional, and physical outcomes. In a study examining the link between gratitude and personality traits, gratitude was found to be strongly linked to desirable Big Five personality traits such as extraversion, agreeableness, and openness to experience (AM Wood et al. , 2009). Individuals with these traits tend to show better emotional self-regulation and resilience, and are therefore less vulnerable to psychopathologies such as depression (Fredrickson, Tugade, Waugh; Larkin, 2003). As such, they are also found to have higher levels of life satisfaction as a result of a positive outlook on life (Park, Peterson, & Seligman, 2004). However, the above study is correlational in nature and does not demonstrate causality; therefore it is not possible to determine whether practicing gratitude actually causes positive health outcomes as a result of exhibiting desirable personality traits found under the Big Five personality traits. In addition to the positive outcomes associated with trait gratitude and personality, expressing gratitude has been found to improve social relationships in numerous studies. In a study examining the role of gratitude on young adolescents' subjective well-being while taking into account gender differences, higher levels of gratitude positively predicted family support, an important component of social relationships in early adolescence (Froh, Yurkewicz, & Kashdan , 2009). ). Another study examining the link between the fundamental psychological elements that precede and follow gratitude.