Greater Good Science Center Study 1: Couples Gratitude Intervention Data, 2012-2013

258 participants from 129 heterosexual romantic couples in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and the surrounding region were studied in a lab session. The dataset, created by Sara B. Algoe at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, includes psychophysiological assessments, questionnaires, and video recordings from a study on expressed gratitude conducted between 2012 and 2013. A subset of 167 participants also completed an unplanned follow-up survey approximately six months later.

Use Cases

• Analyze the effects of expressed gratitude on relationship dynamics based on pre- and post-intervention questionnaires.
• Study psychophysiological correlates of gratitude and social interaction based on baseline assessments and recorded conversations.
• Model demographic factors influencing well-being and relationship outcomes based on participant age, ethnicity, and relationship duration.
• Investigate the longitudinal impact of gratitude interventions based on the six-month follow-up survey data.

Strengths

• Includes data from 258 participants across 129 couples, providing paired observations.
• Contains multimodal data such as questionnaires, psychophysiological assessments, and video recordings.
• Features a longitudinal component with follow-up data from 167 participants approximately six months post-study.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data reflects geographic and demographic bias, with participants predominantly from North Carolina and 70.9% Caucasian.

Provenance

Source

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Sara B. Algoe

Collection Method

Lab-based study involving urine and saliva collection, questionnaires, and a structured gratitude expression task.

Time Range

2012-2013

Geography

Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and surrounding region (e.g., Durham, NC; U.S.A.)