THE EFFECTS OF RANDOM ACTS

OF KINDNESS

Character Formation and Values with Personality Development

October 5, 2021

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 Abstract

Since we were children, we have been taught that kind gestures towards the people

we encounter are always the right thing to do. However, most of us don't keep in mind how

these simple yet impactful actions affect our well-being as an individual; whether it be

positive or negative. This research aims to determine how performing such random acts of

kindness towards others would affect us. Specifically, it analyzes whether an act of

compassion towards the people we know or don’t know would condition us in a way that is

either good or bad. The theory of Competitive Altruism will briefly be studied and this

theory relates to random acts of kindness. The introduction discusses the true definition of

kindness, why we are kind, what random acts of kindness are, the different people receiving

these acts of kindness, and what the positive and negative effects of showing kindness to

every person may bring. By the end of this paper, we will be able to identify the reason why

people show kindness with the theory of Competitive Altruism and the positive and negative

of random acts of kindness.

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 Table of Contents

Page Number

Title Page ..........................................................................................................................1

Abstract ............................................................................................................................2

I. Introduction..........................................................................................................4

II. Paper rationale, the significance of the paper......................................................6

III. Literature review……..........................................................................................7

IV. Theoretical framework.........................................................................................8

V. Information synthesis…….................................................................................10

VI. Conclusion and recommendation……...............................................................12

References…………......................................................................................................14

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 I. Introduction

In modern-day culture, most people, myself included, have this insatiable need to

live their lives to the fullest; a life that is genuinely gratifying and fulfilling. Because we get

so caught up in providing ourselves with the life that we want, we lose sight of the fact that

inspiring people, whether it be those you who you hold close to your heart to those who are

complete strangers, towards a life that is genuinely gratifying and fulfilling in our own little

way is absolutely essential in achieving the goal of a life that’s been lived to the fullest. We

inspire people in ways that are through; buying a warm meal for a hungry beggar, listening

and helping your friend that is going through a rough patch, getting your community to start

planting trees, donating to non-profit/charity organizations, and many more. All these

gestures have one thing in common; Kindness.

According to Mark Twain (1942), “Kindness is the language that the deaf can hear

and the blind can see.” He is trying to tell us that kindness is universal. It can traverse

boundaries, race, and even disabilities. It is defined as the attribute of being kind, giving, and

thoughtful, furthermore known as goodwill, warmth, compassion, selflessness, and

benevolence (Webster, 2021). However, none of those words really reflect the significance

and complexities of the word. What comes to mind when you hear the term "kindness"? Is it

about being polite to other people? Or is it doing good wherever possible? The truth is that

kindness entails more than simply being polite and doing the right thing for others. In reality,

there may not be a single term that can adequately convey the actual essence of

compassion as it is defined as “a behavioral response of compassion and selfless actions; or

a state of mind that puts compassion for others before its interests.” (Fuller, 2018). Studies

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have shown that active kindness, whether or not it's within the variety of compassion or

gratitude, will boost monoamine neurotransmitter and dopamine levels in your brain, which

are referred to as the “feel good, happy hormones.” (Siegle, 2020). It makes us feel good

when we receive it and even better when we show it. People show kindness through their

words and actions. Random acts of kindness are what we refer to as simple yet meaningful

compassionate gestures that we give. Sometimes, it could be towards the people that we

are close to and love, acquaintances we are slightly familiar with, or even towards complete

strangers we encounter in our day-to-day life. Growing up, I was always taught to be kind

and that it would bring a lot of positivity into my life - which it has! But even with me

showing everyone random acts of kindness, I was never told that being nice to everyone

would bring a lot of negative effects to my life. The theory of competitive altruism is also

being studied as it is an important theory that can show us why we organisms show kindness

to other organisms without the expectation of kindness in return. Why this theory should be

studied with the topic of random acts of kindness starts with ourselves, this theory explains

just that.

Kindness is an important virtue that would benefit and inspire a lot of people. This

paper’s Although topics about those who receive kindness are truly valuable and beneficial,

we must also raise and balance this awareness with the welfare of those who perform these

acts of kindness and what their positive and negative effects are on them. Because kindness

has been introduced to us as such a purely good thing, we sometimes fail to see that there

are also baneful effects that may cause more harm than good. This will help us understand

better what these specific effects are, why carefully choosing the right people you show.

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 II. Paper rationale, the significance of the paper

In the selection of the many aspects that kindness has, this particular topic is truly

significant and quite underrated. As I was researching, I found that when most people talk

about random acts of kindness, the topics mostly revolve around the effects of these

gestures towards the people who RECEIVE these acts as opposed to those who DO these

actions. This research that I have conducted flips the narrative and instead puts the focus on

the doer. Kindness is a powerful act that could help and inspire others. Its significance aims

to benefit the following:

Family - I strongly believe that value formation starts within the family. When

kindness is being taught at an early age by role models in the household: parents, siblings,

grandparents and etc., our character develops significantly and this will manifest in our

behavior outside our homes. This is highly relevant, especially nowadays where some

households neglect this value due to their busy lifestyles and lack of time to teach their

children.

Friends and acquaintances - Kindness to your peers, classmates, and all the familiar

people that surround you will bring positivity and can help develop strong and meaningful

relationships. Your kindness towards your friends and acquaintances may also inspire them

to show kindness to others as well.

Strangers - A random act of kindness to a complete stranger can have a major impact

on their lives. Understanding that everyone has their own battles will help you empathize

with them by showing acts of compassion in the simplest form. Whether it be opening

doors, giving food and drinks to the needy, or even a simple smile could mean a lot to them.

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 III. Literature review

As a human being, I have always lived by the thought of kindness. As said in Matthew

7:12, “In everything, do unto others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up

the Law and the Prophets." This stanza from the Christian Bible, otherwise known as the

"Golden Rule" Bible refrains, issue a directive that is among the most elevated, most

wonderful things that religion has to bring to the table (Aptaker, J. 2019). The Golden Rule

was most famously being said by Jesus Christ. Jesus gives this guidance amidst his education

to cherish our enemy. He's telling us, "It doesn't have any effect on how someone else

manages you. Love them. Be big-hearted regardless." Our kindness and compassion can't be

founded on the activities or mentality of another. I think that this goes hand in hand with my

topic of the random effects of kindness.

When performing random acts of kindness, we become socially connected to the

people we show kindness to, whoever they may be. The requirement for social association is

an essential human thought process, and it is progressively evident that feeling socially

associated presents mental and physical advantages. Be that as it may, in many societies,

cultural changes are prompting developing social doubt and distance. (Hutcherson et. al.,

2008). Acts of compassion are vital to this as they increase feelings of social connection and

positivity toward novel individuals on both explicit and implicit levels. We people are

naturally social beings. We are designed to search out associations, which makes social

separation a troublesome idea to explore. All things being equal, we should consider it to be

maintaining an actual separation while keeping up with our public activities. In an

exceptionally associated world, we have many instruments to keep our public activity

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dynamic. What about a video visit with companions over supper? Or then again bunch film

night on Netflix, with the assistance of a Google Chrome expansion? You can consider your

folks to get the lowdown on their week-by-week span game (and ensure they are remaining

protected) or simply talk about their pets. Talking about fuzzy companions, posting pictures

of them on Slack to impart to other collaborators additionally gets the job done. We actually

have a ton of ways we can remain socially associated in spite of the occasions. It is likewise

logically demonstrated that being thoughtful to others makes us more joyful. Disregard what

you've been told about acceptable deeds and ulterior thought processes, doing something

kind to help yourself in general actually scores karmic focuses over the long haul. In the

present moment, it very well may be more earnestly to discover the strength for empathy,

yet graciousness is the genuine key to getting us through this. So attempt to expect the best

goals, help somebody out, and be a source of genuine sympathy - regardless of whether it is

for the friends and family in your family or those you can interface with via telephone. We

are better off sticking together than going alone. Be caring!

IV. Theoretical framework

“Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the

knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you” (Spencer, n.d.). This

heartwarming quote by Princess Diana is an overview of what the outcome of a random act

of kindness is all about. A random act of kindness is an unexpected act of charity or

helpfulness and is often done for a stranger (Good therapy, 2018). As mentioned previously,

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these actions of compassion bring effects to a person that could really affect their welfare.

So you may be wondering, why do people show their random acts of kindness? With

research, I was able to find a theory that would help us to understand why humans are

innately kind to strangers. We call this theory Competitive Altruism.

Competitive altruism is a hypothesis that attempts to explain the presence of

cooperative behaviors (like helping and sharing) in organisms that don't have a direct benefit

to the organism performing the behavior (Alleydog.com, n.d.). Kindness is a potential

instrument for the industriousness of agreeable practices, explicitly those that are

performed unequivocally (Wikipedia, 2021). The hypothesis of equal selflessness can be

utilized to clarify practices that are performed by some contributor kind of advantage later

on. At the point when no such payment is gotten, in any case, correspondence neglects to

clarify unselfish conduct.” Research by Hardy and Van Vugt in their “Nice Guys Finish First:

The Competitive Altruism Hypothesis” (Vugt V. & Hardy, 2006) has shown that altruistic

behavior happens more when they're public than when an individual is separated from

everyone else. Their examination has likewise shown that the most unselfish people arrived

at the most elevated status in their gathering and were seen most decidedly by their friends.

This proposes that kind practices happen in light of the fact that people who perform

random acts of compassion get a higher status inside their gathering and a superior standing

among their friends. This theory relates perfectly to the effects of random compassionate

acts as this explains WHY we humans have this want to do it in the first place. Even if we

don’t know the people around us, we are inclined to show decency and compassion to

them. Whether it be a small act of kindness like smiling at strangers, holding the door for the

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next person, sharing food with your classmates that have no food, or huge acts of kindness

like donating your blood, hair, and etc. to the patients, spending money on food for charities,

and so much more. This hypothesis brings justice to the underlying question that asks why

humans show acts of compassion to others in the first place.

V. Information synthesis

The effects of random acts of kindness are divided into two categories: positive and

negative. These effects are what condition our emotional, social, spiritual, and intellectual

health in a way that may be considered either a benefit or a drawback. Keeping the

information learned about the theory of Competitive Altruism in mind, we must take into

consideration how the effects of kindness and this theory go hand in hand with each other.

Random acts of kindness also have their fair share of negative effects as well. Most of

us may not be familiar with the negative effects of kindness as much as the positive. As I

have said in the introduction, I was raised by my parents to do good, and I am very happy

and I stand by their way of raising me. Because of performing actions of kindness and

compassion to everyone around me, friend or stranger, I learned to be a helping hand to

those who need it. But because I was kind to everyone around me growing up, it became

something that was expected of me all the time. At my time in my previous schools, I offered

to help my classmates with anything they needed help with, even if it meant sacrificing time

and effort for myself. If my requests caused any trouble to others, I backed down. And I

spent all of my spare time giving, giving, giving. However, the ultimate product was not what

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I had hoped for. I was weary and irritable because I wasn't taking care of myself physically.

People grew to expect me to do everything for them as I volunteered to do more and more. I

would constantly prioritize others and do whatever I could to satisfy the people around me.

As my goals were pushed to the side, I felt bitter, and I badly needed the attention and

affirmation that I couldn't offer myself.

On the other hand, the benefits reflect the positive effects that we get from our

random acts of kindness. These positive effects that these kind acts bring are tremendously

beneficial to oneself as it builds confidence, control, happiness, and optimism. It urges

others to rehash the kind gestures they experienced first hand and inspire them to practice

kindness towards the people in their life. Random acts of kindness have also helped me in

many aspects of my life. As a kid, I have always possessed the attribute of kindness and I

applied it to everything I did. Treating others with compassion and respect, especially to

those who are truly deserving of it, leaves me with a smile on my face all the time. Being

able to help my friends who have issues that they can't solve on their own, actions have

brought great experiences to my life. Being kind to others has the potential to make the

world a happier place because kindness increases gratitude. To others, You are the role

model for those in need; knowing this will increase your experience of happiness and sense

of fulfillment. Kindness also promotes empathy and compassion; which in turn ends with the

experience of connecting with others. Assisting others helps to maintain good health and

can reduce the impact of illnesses and disorders, both major and small, psychological and

physical. A "helper's high," which involves physical feelings and the release of the body's

natural painkillers, endorphins, is frequently referred to as a rush of exhilaration followed by

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a prolonged period of calm after doing a nice deed (Baraz, 2010). After the first surge, there

is a prolonged period of enhanced emotional well-being. After completing good deeds,

stress-related health issues improve. Helping others alleviates sadness, increases social

interaction, and reduces emotions of anger and isolation. Helping others can boost our

happiness, emotional resilience, and energy, as well as lessen our harmful sense of isolation.

The occurrence of attitudes that negatively stimulate and harm the body, such as persistent

animosity, is reduced. When the helping act is remembered, the health advantages and

sensation of well-being return for hours or even days. It is possible to gain a better sense of

self-worth, contentment, and optimism, as well as a decrease in emotions of despair and

sadness. When creating relationships with others, you reduce alienation and reinforce the

feeling that we are more alike than different in our experiences. A sense of connection

unites us and no longer separates us.

Random acts of kindness strengthen the experience of networking and belonging.

Just like the theory said, we humans have naturally cooperative behaviors with other people

around us that don't have a direct benefit to us when being nice. We recognize the positive

effects that acts of kindness bring by the way our state of improving, whether it be

drastically or slightly. Basically, the world becomes a better and safer place when we are all

kinder to each other.

VI. Conclusion and recommendation

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 “Kindness is the language that the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” (Twain,

1942). Kindness is an inclination for being generous, of needing to lift loads from others or to

simply give some assistance or a source of genuine sympathy. It adapts us. It lifts us

profoundly. What's more, it is beneficial for us.

All in all, kindness is a positive thing that the world needs more of. However, some

people don't fully grasp the effect of performing spontaneous acts of kindness on our

well-being as individuals. Though kindness is a positive thing, we have to be aware of how it

may affect us in a way that is negative.

In conclusion to this research, we related the theory of competitive altruism to

random acts of kindness, we learned that kindness may have its downsides, but looking at it

in the bigger picture, its effects are more beneficial to oneself than it is negative.

References

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