The Science of Gratitude and How It Benefits Our Health

Scientists have tied gratitude to greater health and happiness, as well as more depth and joy in social relationships at home, work, and in communities. From an evolutionary perspective, gratitude is considered formative to the prosocial interactions that are instrumental to humans' welfare and survival.

Webinar Speaker

Emiliana Simon-Thomas

Ph.D., Science Director, Greater Good Science Center

Dr. Simon-Thomas is the science director of the Greater Good Science Center, where she is a co-instructor of the GGSC's Science of Happiness online course, which has enrolled more than 500,000 students and has measurably increased student's level of happiness and life satisfaction. In addition to studying the neuroscience of well-being, Dr. Simon-Thomas is also a skilled teacher, lecturing frequently on topics such as gratitude, compassion, happiness, and mindfulness. Her talks zero in on the keys—and benefits—of social connection and caregiving, making science feel engaging and personal. Dr. Simon-Thomas earned her doctorate in cognition, brain, and behavior at UC Berkeley.